The Beginning
by Kibakichi
Summary: In The Beginning I find myself on Gaea, transformed by the Rhinestone of Life into a powerful Draconian catguy.I soon meet Van and the gang and then face a near death experience. Join me on a fabulous adventure. Please R
1. Transformation

_Part 1: Transformation_

My name is Sage. I was in the middle of a fight between a school bully and me. Then suddenly a bright blue beam shot down from the sky. I felt myself being lifted from the ground. For a second he just stood there and stared, and then he ran away, the coward, of course I would have ran off too, but that's beside the point. I shot up into the sky like a bullet, and then I blacked out.

When I woke up I realized I was on Gaia, a planet found in the heavens and myself surrounded by stone, in a cave. I saw a weird-looking stone; it had a sign engraved on it that looked like a raindrop. I touched the stone on the raindrop and it started to glow a luminous silver aura. This can't be good. Suddenly the raindrop turned 90 and the pupil of a cat's eye appeared in the middle of it.

"Uh-oh. I shouldn't 've done that." I felt pain shoot throughout my whole body; I clutched my stomach and fell to my knees, it ravaging me like a typhoon like nothing I've ever felt before. I screamed in out pain, frustration, and surprise, as blood began to soak my back. The pain amplified tremendously and shifted to my back. The glowing stone began to pulse it's inner light in an almost primal heartbeat, and began to levitate. I clenched my fists and roared with all my might as the glowing stone shot into my chest, and screamed as two angel-like wings burst from my back shredding my shirt. The pain was unimaginable! My wingspan was looked like it was about 15 feet. Each wing! I was screaming my head off, but I felt something else but I can't explain it, I was a little busy at the moment. Anyway, through my teary eyes I saw a big humanoid-robot looking thing. In addition, I thought I saw someone's sad amber eyes looking down on me and he said softly to me.

"Hello, I heard you screaming, are you alright?" Everything went black. I collapse from exhaustion.


	2. The Guardian is Awakened!

_Part 2: The Guardian is Awakened!_

I woke up on a bed, my back pounding and wrapped in bandages, and covered by a blanket. Two people that looked like cats were looking down at me. I blacked out again. When I woke up again I was alone.

"Oh………whoa, hello." My voice was deeper and rougher than it was before.

I sat up slowly and pain shot up my back like a lightning bolt. I gritted my teeth against the pain, but it was soon too much to bear. I roared a small roar, but it was enough. The 2 cat-people came rushing in, on 4 legs!

"Lord Van! He's awake!" One of them said in a feminine voice. I heard a bunch of footsteps and I knew who it was as soon as they came into focus.

"Van Fanel?"

"How do you know my name?" he responded.

"Help me up and I'll unnnh tell you." I said with a groan of pain. Reeko and Merle (the two cat-people) helped me up off the bed I was sleeping on and onto my feet. I looked to my right and saw myself in a full-length mirror.

"What the...! Is that me?" I looked at myself with awe and surprise. I looked like a Siberian tiger, but I stood on 2 legs, and 5'11", and had golden brown fur. Had long deep jet black hair spiked, kinda like a super sayia-jin level 3, except it was black like a regular sayians is, that stopped at about the base of my ft long bushy, striped, constantly moving tail, and had 1 lock of hair in front of my left eye, it was about 5 inches long. My muscles were huge! I'm not kidding I was ripped, I was never as ripped as I am now.

"All right!" I flexed my muslcues. (Okay, that wasn't even close. Thank God for spell check right? Oh great, and the word is right there! Look ahead two words. Yea. That's pretty bad.) The muscles on my arms were at least 5 inches on my forearms, 6 inches on my on my upper arms, and 6½ inches on my shoulders. I looked at my legs, my thighs were at least 7, 8 inches, and my calves were 5, 6 inches. My feet went from barely size 9 to about 10½ and had a 2 inch long, retractable curved cat claw, on each toe.

"No wonder my shoes exploded." I muttered to myself. My chest: 3-inch pectoral muscles. Abs; a 6 pack. I was completely proportioned, built for speed, grace, and incredible strength. My hands were covered in fur, my fingers were thicker and had no fingernails and looked a little bit like a cat's paws. SHING!

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as a 2 inch slightly curved cat's claw, extended slowly out of each my fingers.

"Hmm...interesting." I said to Van, retracting them. I noticed that my face looked like a human's except it was elongated a little bit and my ears extended diagonally upwards and I had whiskers. My pupils were slits, but my eyes were the same color. When I smiled I saw I had a tiger's teeth as well as human ones. I call this form the Tyger.

"Umm... excuse me, Are you evil?" Hitomi spoke up for the first time as she peeked around the open door.

"No! Why do you think I'm evil?"

"Because I saw you in a vision." Hitomi responded as she into the room. Suddenly, a light pink aura surrounded her, her wings burst open, and half of a circle with one wing on it appeared on her chest. I looked at Van, he was surrounded by a light blue aura, his wings burst open, and the other half of the circle, along with one wing on the side appears on his chest. I saw a silver aura surround me. I felt heat rise in my back and a snap as my wings came out, my bandages snapping. They were golden brown with black stripes. And no pain. Halleluiah! The same sign that was on the stone appeared in the center of my chest.

"What's happed to me?" I asked Van and Hitomi.

"What do you mean?" She responded.

"First of all, I am a human being from the US. I was fighting a school bully, and then a beam of blue light just sucked me up and dropped me off in a cave here there I found a stone with this sign on it. Except different, when I touched it, it changed into this form and turned me into the beast you see now before you." I pointed to the tattoo on my chest.

"The stone that is inside of you is called the Rhinestone of Life and unfortunately it is cursed." Van explained. Now they tell me. "I found you in the Cave of Rebirth."

"So you are The Angel of Light." I pointed to Hitomi. I'm not how I knew I just knew.

"Yes." She nodded her head.

"And you are the Protector." I pointed to Van, again how I knew I was not certain.

"Yes." He nodded his head.

"Then what am I?" I asked. That didn't know. I knew everything else just not that, how confusing

"The legend speaks of a Guardian, so I guess that's you." they responded in unison and then pointed at me. Our auras faded and Van and Hitomi retracted their wings.

"Retract your wings." Van said.

"How?"

"Just concentrate on retracting your wings."

"Okay." I focused and my wings slowly retracted.

"You did it." Hitomi said.

"Good job." Van added.

"Thanks." I responded grinning stupidly. Merle and Reeko were both just stunned.

"Wow." They both said with awe and surprise. I looked in the mirror again and I saw no trace of the scars on my back.

"Another one who shares the fate of Lord Van." Merle asked excitedly.

"Huh?" I replied.

"Does it hurt?" Reeko asked me.

"It always hurts the most the first time." Van said to me.

"Duh. If you heard me screaming, yea it hurt."

"DIE DEMON! Hyah!" I knew that voice. Allen Schezar! I spun around and him charging at me with his sword drawn.

"Hyah!" I yelled as I felt my claws extend as I tried to counter his attack. The sound of bones on steel filled the room as I countered his attack, turning from a calm, cool person into a fighting machine. I was countering every attack with lightning speed. Then I bared my pearly whites (my teeth) and roared and as I made swift low kick and knocked Allen off his feet. He hit the ground on his butt pretty hard. I retracted my claws, crossed my arms, and glared at him. (The trademark Vegeta look basically) Allen sneered, got up, and charged at me again, but Van jumped in the way blocking Allen's sword with his own.

"Stop!" Van told Allen.

"Why?"

"He's not evil."

"But he was glowing silver and y'all were glowing blue and pink, and all of yours wings were extended." He said has he and Van put away their swords.

"He's a good guy trust me." Van assured Allen.

"And he's a pretty good fighter if he is able to blocked Allen's attacks." Hitomi added. I blushed.

"Excuse me, but I think I need some new clothes." I said to Van.

"That's already been taken care of." he replied as he threw a large package at me.

"Go to town tomorrow morning. We'll meet you there. Oh and wear this." he said pointing to the package.

"Come on, I'll take you to your room." Hitomi said.

"Follow us." Allen said. I followed them through corridors and up stairways until we came to a stop and to the right of us was a solid wood door about 10 ft high.

"These are royal quarters." Van explained.

"Eeh?" I tilted my head to the side.

"They are for kings, princes, royalty."

"Oh. How am I royalty?"

"You will become a knight." Allen said.

"Ok."

I cut the package partly open with my claws, pulled out a small package, and unwrapped it. It was a 4 in long gold key. I unlocked the door and walked in.

"Holy moly!"

"Ahem. Make yourself comfortable." Merle said.

"Thanks I will." They left and I shut the door behind them. I looked around my quarters and they were huge like about 25x30 sq ft. there was a brilliant chandelier above me, a full-length mirror beside a door that led to a balcony. As well as furniture, chair, couch, etc, etc. It was night out. I walked into the bedroom; it must have been about 18x20 sq ft. My bed was jumbo king size. There was also a bathroom. I went back into the main room and sat down in my comfortable chair, and ripped the package open the rest of the way. I'm beginning to like my claws I thought to myself. Inside there was a brilliant metallic-silver cloak, I grabbed it and stood up. The cloak unrolled, it was my height and what fell to the ground brought tears to my eyes. They were the shredded, bloodstained remains of clothes.

"Man these were brand new too. Drat."

I folded up my cloak and picked up my shredded clothes and key, walked to my dresser in my bedroom, and I put the shredded clothes in the first drawer. I set the folded cloak on top on my dresser. I heard a knocking sound. I walked into the living room and opened the door. It was Hitomi.

"Hi. Is it comfortable?"

"Yes, very. Come on in." She walked in and sat down on the couch.

"So what's it like on Gaia?"

"It's pretty nice. How is it on Earth?"

"Oh, the same"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah. I have a 13 year old sister with the attitude of an 18 year old."

"I'll see ya in town tomorrow."

"Alright. Good night."

I opened the door, let Hitomi out, and shut the door behind her.

I went into the bedroom and lay down on my vast comfortable bed. I got under the covers and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	3. Learning to Fly the Hard Way

_Part 3: Learning to Fly (the hard way)_

I woke up at sunrise, took a shower, and put on what little clothes I had left. This wasn't much mind you my "pants" were torn and frayed and had a big hole where my tail came out. Surprisingly I had gotten use to my tail. I grabbed my cloak unsnapped the button and whipped it around me and snapped the button. I walked into the living room and stopped in front of the mirror. The button had the sign of Fanelia on it.

"Sweet." In addition, the button was right in middle of my chest.

"Oh yeah almost forgot my key. Can't forget that." I ran and got my key and shoved it into my pocket. I pulled up the hood of my cloak and looked into the mirror. The hood stopped just after my eyes.

"Double sweet." I left my room and locked the door behind me. Wait a minute. I think I'm going to test my wings I probably shouldn't, but I'm going to anyway. I thought as I turned and headed to a balcony. When I got there I climbed up to the roof using my claws of course. When I got there I pushed back my cloak and focused on extending my wings. My wings exploded form my back. It felt good, anyway after I stretched flapped and worked them at little bit I mumbled to myself.

"I hope nobody sees me." I jumped off the roof, opened my wings, and flapped them. CRACK! I felt a sharp pain in both of my wings. They were broken. (Duh.) I dropped. And I knew right then in a world with people I never knew that I was going to die. Not good. I strained my hearing and my sight and saw Van, Allen, Hitomi, Merle, and Reeko.

"Where is he! I don't have all day." Merle exclaimed.

"Calm down Merle he'll show." Allen said.

" Mayday! Mayday! " I yelled in thought and out loud.

"Where is he?" Merle asked again.

"Merle move!" Hitomi said coming out of a vision.

"Why?"

"Cause here he comes!" Van and Allen yelled in unison. Hitomi pulled Merle back just in time.

"Oh this is going to hurt!" WHAM! I hit the ground right in front of them. I felt my wings disintegrate upon contact. I heard a lota of people scream, mainly Hitomi and Merle. I think Merle ran away I don't know the only thing I could see was the ground. I felt that inch thick button shatter my sternum and it go straight through my heart. I groaned loudly. Van and Allen starting helping me up. I saw the townsfolk staring and whispering to each other. I was set gently back down.

"Nothing to see here folks, move along." Allen doing damage control the townsfolk leaving the streets scurrying into their houses.

Allen said as they helped to my feet. Hitomi turned, looked at me, and gasped.

"What?" Van asked.

"He's dying." Hitomi replied. Well duh.

"Wait how do you know?" Allen asked.

"I can felt it." Hitomi said.

"Let's get him out of here. Can you walk?" Van asked me.

"Yeah." I grunted and then coughed up some blood.

"Let's hurry." Allen said. They walked/dragged me to the back room of the tailor's shop. I couldn't see very well because my eyes started to bleed. They laid me down on a bed.

"He's lost alot of blood from internal injuries." said Allen.

"Let's resonate our stones." Hitomi said to Van.

"Right." Van replied. I felt my stone power-up and the silver aura coat my body.

"Man I hope this works. He's pretty cool for a cat." Allen said.

"I agree." Reeko said. I started to levitate and was turned 90 and my broken black wings extend.

" Mystic….Heal!" Van and Hitomi said in unison. My cloak unbuttoned and fell to the floor. I felt blood start to ooze from where the button was. I felt all my broken bones disappear. That was most of my ribcage, and my wing bones. The bone that punctured my heart (my sternum) disappeared as well. The holes in my heart closed up. The rib bones extended and reconnected to my sternum repairing my ribcage. All my bleeding stopped, infact all my blood disappeared. But technicality I'm dead. Kinda crapy ain't it? My wings bones reconnected and became stronger. I felt the impression of the button pop up and my chest reform. Then I felt all my bones and muscles strengthen to become as strong as steel. I felt my heart start to beat like a drum, strong, loud, and never ending, propelling blood through my veins. My brain shot to life. I felt my feet land on the ground, my wings being retracted, and my scars closing. I also felt myself return to my human form. I opened my eyes. It was very bright at first until my eyes focused; I didn't give them a chance to see me in my pitiful former form. I was weak I never will be again!

"Daaaaa! Rrroooaaarrr!" I got into power-up stance not to attack but to transform.

"What the…!" Van, Hitomi, Merle, and Allen said in unison.

"Holy shiznit!" Reeko said. There was an explosion of magical energy. I felt my body grow to 5'11", my face elongated to hold my developing teeth and grew whiskers, my weak human teeth were replaced by tiger's fangs and human molars, my ears swept back and grew 2 in, my muscles bulged like I did a triple Kaio-Ken to the Tyger's size, my claws sprung out my hands and my changing feet has I grew thick glossy golden-brown fur all over my body, my hair grew to super sayia-jin level 3's and turned black as night, and my tail slithered out and sagged like limp arm, until bone and muscle grew underneath it. Transformation Complete. The explosion had cleared just I was finished transforming.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR! III LLLIIIVVVEEE!" I shook the building with this roar; it was as fierce as Siberian tiger's. I felt totally calm, balanced, and as if I was made of liquid steel. My muscles looked like they were chiseled out of stone, I looked at the bottom of my feet there were tough black leather soles on them from the size change. What happened was that my human muscles were carried over when I first transformed and so when I flapped my wings my muscles weren't strong enough to support my weight, hence the crashing and burning. However, when I was restored my muscles were human muscles were increased to my Tyger's full muscle capacity, making me stronger than I've ever been before.

"That feels a lot better. Thanks." I said stretching.

"Uh we never got your name. What is it?" Hitomi asked as she handed me back my cloak.

"My name is Sage."

"Sage huh? Nice name. Now you must never do that again." Van said.

"Why?"

"Because you may think your wings are nice and are the signs of a angel, but here they are the mark of a demon. Use them only as a last resort."

"All right, all right. No more wings, got it." I replied. The tailor came in and measured me.

"Wow this is strange. This person fits the measurements exactly that Lord Van had sent me and I am finished." Tailor said.

"Well let's see it." Allen said. The tailor left and came back carrying a suit, set it on the table and opened it.


	4. Becoming A Knight

_Part 4: Becoming a Knight_

There were 4 dark blue weighted wristbands, a pair of baggy blue pants that would go to my ankles, a sleeveless silver vest, a belt, and an orb made of crystal about the size of a marble shooter and was the color of silver and blue and they were constantly swirling together.

"Wait a minute that can't be it." I said as I slammed the tailor up against the wall.

"That's what Lord Van asked for!" Tailor screeched. I slapped myself on the forehead.

"D-ooh. Sorry." I set Tailor down my face burning with embarrassment. I picked up my clothes excluding the orb, and headed quickly to the dressing room.

"Dang it, why does this always happen to me?" I mumbled to myself as I put on my pants my tail going through the hole in the back. I weaved my belt through the belt loops and snapped the belt buckle together like the seatbelt on an airplane and the belt buckle had a dragon on it. I put 2 of the weighted wristbands around my ankles and the other 2 around my wrists, and has I walked out of the dressing room I whipped the vest around putting one arm through one sleeve and the other arm through the other, fixed the collar and flung my hair over it. I walked over to the table, picked up the orb that was sitting there, and put it in my pocket.

"Damn. You look good." Merle said. Reeko flicked her shoulder. Hard. "Ow."

"But she is right." Hitomi said. I put my cloak back on no hood and we headed back to the castle. When we got there we headed into the dining room. We ate dinner, which was huge, and we went to our quarters. I unlocked my door, went inside, and locked the door behind me. I took off my cloak and hung it on the coat hanger, and threw my vest on the arm of my chair and went into my bedroom.

"What a day." I said as I lay down on my bed. I looked around and saw a box on my pillow.

"What the..? How did that get there?" I shot up and grabbed the little box I heard something rolling around inside of it. I extended my all my claws on my right hand and sliced the lid clear off the box onto my dresser. It was another crystal orb slightly larger than the one in my pocket, but the same color with a note. It said,

"Activate the 2 spheres and meet on the roof at 10:00 P.M. Allen Schezar and Van Fanel."

"How do I activate the bleepin' orbs!" I roared in frustration. I took the first orb out of my pocket and said,

"Open pretty please?" Nothing.

"Drat."

What do you want to prove to the world? Van asked in thought.

"What the..? Where did that come from?" I look around the room.

What do stand for? Hitomi asked

"Huh?" Still confused.

What are your virtues? Van and Hitomi said in unison.

"Huh?" then it clicked. "Of course! The 9 virtues from the code of the ancient samurai, Bushido, are the key. Yes!"

"Virtue!" The orb glowed red then died.

"Life!" It glowed dark blue then died.

"Wisdom." It glowed green then died.

"Trust" It glowed light blue then died.

"Justice!" It glowed orange then died.

"Loyalty!" It glowed dark gray then died.

"Obedience!" It glowed black then died.

"Sincerity!" It glowed pink then died.

"Piety or righteousness!" It glowed brown then died. Then it started flashing all of the colors.

"COOL!" Then without warning it exploded.

"Oh-no!" Bright white light filled the room and blinded my vision. When the light when away and my vision return, I grabbed the other orb and ran into the living room. I threw the other orb on the chair and looked into mirror. I was on fire.

"Aaaah! Wait a minute I can't be burning, otherwise it would burn like a Glasgow bikini wax." The fire was silver-mixed with blue, and it covered all of my body except my head and tail.

"Cool." The flames died down and what was left blew me away. There was silver sub armor so to speak on my shoulders, upper arms, and thighs. There was sea blue sub armor on my chest, waist, and the rest of my legs, my feet, and my forearms and on my hands. On the back of my feet there was a hook that was went from one ankle to the other. My tail was not blocked it was free to move. I turned around and the other orb was hovering in front of me. It was resonating. Then it disappeared in a flash of light. I said the 1st words that popped into my head.

"Armor of Wildfire! DAO JIN!" I roared.

My sub-armor glowed red and the sign of virtue appeared in front of me and exploded into red and pink lotus petals that flew around me and landed all over my body except for my head and tail. When the petals landed on me they created incredible fire red armor. I felt the armor connect onto my knees covering them and my lower legs, feet, forearms, 2 plates covered the outside of my thigh, one covered the base of my tail and they were all connected by a belt and one plate connects the belt together covers my groin. And the belt connected to my waist. The chest plate attached to my chest and I felt the back plate connect to the chest plate and to me. The shoulder blades attached to my sub armor and I felt 2 katanas attach to my back plate going from right to left diagonally. I held out 1 of my hands and a bunch of lotus petals gathered there, there was a flash of light, a helmet appeared, its faceplate was facing towards me and was elongated to fit mine so I turned it around and over and put it on. I looked in the mirror and saw myself.

"Whoa." I could still extend my claws, which was good. I had opened and activated my armor.

"Ya for me!" I then looked at the clock. It was midnight.

"Oh crap, I'm two hours late!" I raced out onto my balcony, extended my claws ran to the side jumped off grabbed a hold on the wall with my claws. I realized my armor was feather-light.

"Man, is this going like totally vertical or what?" I said as I quickly climbed the wall. When I saw the edge of the wall I started speeding up. Then when I reached the edge, I dug my claws in and pulled myself up, hard and fast. I flew 5 ft into the air, flipped several times, and landed stealthy on the other side of wall. I saw Van and Allen their swords drawn like they were going to jump me when I came through the corridor. Glad I came this way.

"Where is he?" Allen whispered to Van in frustration.

"I don't know." Van whispered back. I reached around to my right shoulder with my left arm, grabbed one of my 2 katanas, and pulled it out. It was a slightly curved sword aka Katana. I swung it around to get a feel of it. I started to approach Van and Allen, but I quickly put my katana away and jumped behind a pillar about 2½ feet wide. Why? I guess your thinking? Because I heard footsteps and 3 scents blew past my excellent nose. I smelt Van and Allen the third one I couldn't really make out because Van and Allen were really close. The 3rd scent was getting stronger. It was Hitomi. I climbed up to the top of the pillar with my back touching it. I heard Van and Allen yell their battle cries and Hitomi scream.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Hitomi." Allen said apologizing.

"Are you ok?" Van said also apologizing.

"Am I okay! You almost gave me a heart attack Jeez!" Hitomi yelled as I tried hard not burst out laughing. Digging my claws in to grip the stone so I wouldn't fall, giving away my position.

"How's Merle doing?" Allen asked.

"She pretty shook up. When Sage died, she kinda freaked." Hitomi said to Van and Allen. "Reeko has calmed her down and she's asleep," She continued "She's okay for now."

"You better go to sleep." Van said.

"Ok, good night" Hitomi said.

"I hope Sage shows." Allen said.

"Maybe he's here, right under our noses." Van said. By then I had managed to climb onto the crawling on the ceiling, crawling like a chameleon, to where I was directly over them. I took out one of my katanas, stabbed it deep into the ceiling, and my muscles coiled up like springs as I prepared to pounce. I spring at them, flipping over, because a cat, always lands on his feet I retracted my claws the rest of the way, drew my other katana, and roared my battle cry. Of course I was falling pretty fast so all of this happened in a split-second. I saw Allen and Van look up.

"Whoa" Van exclaimed.

"What the…!" Allen exclaimed as well. Van jumped to the left and Allen jumped to the right. I hit the ground hard, my legs absorbing the impact my feet making little craters where I landed. I charged at Van with incredible speed, swinging my sword and attacked with a ferocity that I never knew I had. Van was fighting defensively blocking me blow for blow.

For once all that practice with Tai paid off. And my mom said that would never come in handy. I saw out of the corner of my eye Allen getting ready to charge. He charged. I jumped up high doing a back flip over him and grabbed the other katana that was stuck in the roof. When I landed I saw Van and Allen side by side.

"Ready?" They said to me has they got into their battle stances.

"Bring it on." I roared as I got into my battle-stance. They charged. I stood my ground. When they just about got to me I jumped. Over the heads I flew as I flipped, but I landed between them.

"Whoops." They both struck downwards. Ching! I did the splits as I blocked both of their swords with both of mine. I sprung up ninja-style as Van and Allen started to attack me from two fronts. I was blocking every attack with a style that was truly cat-like. I flowed like water with each of my blocks and attacks. But it was stinkin' hard! My speed, endurance, and strength were unbelievable to me. With one precise slash at the tsuba (guard) I knocked Van's sword out of his hand and continued to fight Allen. We stopped and I put away one of my katanas and said.

"Let's end this."

"Right." Allen responded. We got into our battle-stances and we charged. I extended and dug in the claws on my feet and I tore up the rock floor as I sped towards Allen. Allen jumped up to attack from the air. However, I was one step ahead I slid underneath him. I jumped up and Allen landed, spun around, and charged. The charge would have taken out my right lung, but I blocked it with the side of my sword and used Allen momentum and speed against him. The tsubas of our swords met with a clank.

"Urrah!" I pushed up on my sword with all my strength. Allen flew up over my head his sword flying to the right and stuck into the floor.

"Aaaah. Ouch!" Allen yelled has he flew and hit the ground on his back. I roared in victory and then I put away my other katana and walked over to Allen. Picking up his sword on the way.

"I won." I said shocked, Allen is one of the best swordsmen on Gaia.

"Yea you won now help me up." Allen said as he held out his arm. I grabbed it and pulled him up.

"You're a great fighter." Van said.

"Thanks. Uh how strong is my armor?" I asked.

"Its strength is unknown." Van answered.

"Whoa."

"Can I have my sword back?" Allen said.

"Huh? Oh, yea here." I handed him his sword.

"Kneel before me." Van said drawing his sword. I pressed a hidden button on my left temple on my helmet, and the mask on my helmet split in half and slid back into the sides of my helmet as I kneeled before Van.

"Remove thy helmet." I took it off letting my long jet-black hair fall down.

"I dub you my personal guardian." Van said as he tapped my on my shoulders with his sword.

"It will be a serious honor." I responded after a moment of silence.

Thank you I said to Van in thought.

You deserve it Van responded. There was more silence.

"You'd better get some sleep. Flying lessons tomorrow." Van said.

"But Van what if I fall again?" I said nervously.

"You won't." Allen said as he slapped me on the back.

"See ya tomorrow." I said. Van and Allen walked off to their quarters. I put my helmet back on, closed the mask, ran to the edge of the roof, and stopped. I sniffed the air there were no pollutants. It may be a bit late for this, but I have night-vision. Even though it was 1 or 2 in the morning, it was as almost as bright as day. I climbed down head first to my balcony. Walked into my bedroom and took off everything except for my shorts, sub-armor which I don't how I got off, and all threw it all onto the floor. My fur was matted from sweat, caused by combat and summoning my armor and sub-armor. I fell asleep curled up underneath the covers of my bed. Exhausted. I dreamt of my home, and everyone at school.


	5. Learning to Fly the Right Way

_Part 5: Learning to fly (the right way)_

When I woke up both my armors was gone. Forget that I woke up in the middle of the friggin' woods! Van and Hitomi were there and awake.

"'Bout time." Van said coolly.

"You ready?" Hitomi asked gently. I nodded.

"Spread your wings." Van instructed and demonstrated.

"Wait! Won't we get caught?" I asked nervously.

"No, I made sure of it." Van responded.

"Now spread your wings." Hitomi told me as she spread her own.

"Okay I'm going." I concentrated and opened my wings. We did some wing exercises to warm up our wings. I knew my wings could support my body this time. Next we did some gliding exercises by climbing up a tall tree, and gliding to the ground. I crashed many times, because I couldn't land worth crap, but adapted and mastered the exercise and the landings in 2 to 4 hours.

"Okay Sage. Now fly to that cave." Van instructed. He was pointing to a cave 10 miles away.

"We'll be right behind you." Hitomi said.

"Let's fly! Rroaarr!" I roared as I started to flap my wings downward, kicking up a circle of dust. I jumped into the air and took off. I flew underneath the canopy like an eagle with speeds of about a 100 mph and grace. Narrowly missing many trees. Some grace. I shot up through the canopy and hovered high above the trees. I saw Escaflowne in flight mode flying towards me. I smiled a devilish smile as I flipped backwards folding my wings, diving through the canopy. Opening my wings right before I hit the ground and that did not cancel my speed. I zoomed along the ground at incredible speeds, faster than I was going before, oh yeah, a lot faster, dodging trees that would shatter either of my wings or my skull causing me to wipe out like a mother, with split second timing. Roaring cause of the rush. When I saw the cave ahead I extended my claws and popped up kinda in an arc just to steady my feet below my body. Cutting most of my speed I landed on my feet digging in my claws as I spun around canceling the rest of my speed coming to a complete and total stop. Van and Hitomi arrived on Escaflowne about 1 minute later wings retracted and applauding.

"Van!" I heard a silent murderous voice. Dilandau!

"Shh!" They froze.

"What is it?" Hitomi whispered.

"Dilandau, he in the cave I think." I whispered back as I retracted my wings.

"Demonic beast!" Dilandau screamed as he sped out the cave in his guymelef in flight mode. Knocking all of us off our feet, and flew away out of sight.

"Something tells me that wasn't good." I said to Van.

"Nope." He replied as we got up and dusted ourselves off. We climbed on Escaflowne and flew back to the castle.

"Back so early?" Merle said to us as we burst through the doors into the dining room. "Allen! We saw Dilandau!" I roared to him. Everyone froze.

"Where?" Allen said running up to us.

"In a cave by the border of Fanelia." Van responded.

"He's going to Folken isn't he?" I asked Van and Hitomi. They nodded.

"Who's he?" a new voice. I spun around. It was Princess Millerna.

"I'll be right back." I said to her.

"I need to properly dressed." I whispered to Hitomi before I took off. She giggled. I sped to my quarters and unlocked the door. When I got to my bedroom I put on pants, vest, and bands. But my armors were gone.

"What!" I roared in frustration.

"What's the matter?" Hitomi asked when she, Van, Allen reached my quarters.

"My armors are gone!"

"Remember you can activate your armor at any time." Van said.

"But I need my sub-armor to activate my real armor." I roared back.

"Ok, you can summon your sub-armor by concentrating like with your wings." Hitomi said gently calming my fiery rage.

"Oh, thank you my lord and lady." I replied. Hitomi blushed.

"Ok I'm lost." Allen said.

"Oh, we are connected by Rhinestone of Life." Van explained to Allen.

"Oh." Allen said still confused.

"Allen, is Princess Millerna pregnant?" I asked Allen changing the subject. "Yep."

"Concentrate on summoning your sub-armor." Hitomi said to me. I did as she instructed focusing on my sub-armor. I saw virtue, life force, trust, wisdom, justice, loyalty, sincerity, obedience, and piety land on me in different places and explode into red, dark blue, light blue, green, orange, dark gray, black, pink, and brown lotus petals. When all the petals landed they erupted into a brilliant silver flame that created my sub armor. The flames blew away to a gentle breeze leaving my sub-armor behind.

"Wow." Allen said amazed.

"Sage, are you ready for the archery tournament?" Van asked me.

"What!" I gasped, "Yes, I guess so."

"This the last task for to complete to become a true knight." Van said. They all started to leave.

"Wait!" They stopped. "When do I get my guymelef?"

"When you are ready." Van replied.

"Armor of Strata! DAO INOCHI!" I roared as the sign of life force appeared in front of me and exploded into dark blue lotus petals that flew around me and created the Strata armor all put together beside me. I grabbed the footplate, I have no idea why, that's not how it works anyway, and it all collapsed to the ground with a large crash.

"Why did I do that?" I said still holding the foot part. I held the two foot plates over the feet of my sub-armor not sure what to do. VOOM! CHINK! They shot out of my hands and stuck to my feet like a magnet.

"Well see you at the courtyard. Bye!" Hitomi said as they left my quarters. I grabbed the knee/shin guards and put them on my knees. They attached the same way. I then grabbed the 4 waist plates, which were connected to a belt. I whipped it around and snapped it together around my waist. It attached to me like the other parts had. I grabbed the chest and back plates they were in 2 pieces. I stuck the chest plate on my chest and the back plate zoomed around and stuck to my back connecting to my chest plate and my belt. The 2 shoulders plates rose up and connected to my shoulders. The forearm plates connected the top of my forearms. I snatched the hovering helmet out of the air and put it on. I ran to the courtyard, but I think I went the wrong way because I hit a dead end. No problem. I quickly scaled the wall and landed on the other side.

"There he is Sage!" The announcer roared. There was a huge applause from the crowd.

"Sage get to your position." Van yelled to me.

"And where is that exactly?" I roared back.

"On the other side of field!" The announcer roared.

"Oh." I snorted and sprinted across the vast courtyard doing all sorts of somersaults. To mostly impress the crowd and to test my agility. Man, before I couldn't even do a cartwheel. Now I was doing cartwheels, round-offs, and flips with cat-like grace, precision, and perfection. When I got near my position I jumped using my momentum flip many times in the air. I landed 5 ft. from where I was in position. I got standing ovation. There were archers from all over Gaia.

"Let the tournament begin." The announcer roared. The trumpets played the start of the tournament.

"Wait!" I roared.

"What is it?"

"I think I need to warm-up first. I haven't used a bow and arrow in a long time. A really long time."

"All right, Sage. You can have a practice round. Hit the bulls-eye 3 times then the tournament will start." I looked at the announcer's box and saw Reeko (the announcer), Merle, Van, Hitomi, Celena, Allen, and Millerna. I pressed the button on the right side of my chest plate. A compartment popped out from my back. A quiver. The top of it slid open and multiple arrows popped up, tail first. A small 5 in tube popped out from my left button that had spiraled open on my chest. It fell into my left hand; confused I pressed the button on it.

"What does this do? " It extended into a 4.5 ft long hankyu (war bow), with a spike on the top and the bottom of the guard that was above the grip. The string strang from the top of the bow to the bottom of it.

"Oh that." I said. I grabbed one arrow. It was a foot and a half long with well-constructed inch and a half arrowhead. I put the notch of my arrow on the string and pulled it back. It didn't budge. I pulled as hard as I could until I got to the arrowhead. I was straining every muscle in my right arm and my bow was shaking, going up and down, left, and right. My arm was pounding I couldn't hold it any longer I took aim and let go of the arrow. The bow sprang out of my hand and fell to the ground. The arrow shot towards the target, missed it by a mile, ricocheted off the wall behind it, and came hurling back towards me.

"Hit the deck!" I yelled as I dived out of the way. The arrow blew past me nearly taking out my tail and implanted itself in the wall behind me. I stood up, dusted myself off, picked up my bow, and tried again with the same result. I kept repeating this pattern until my right arm, no my whole body seemed to have adapted to the hi-powered bow. Because I drew with less stress, there was no shakage in my bow when I was aiming, and when I released my arrow; it cut through the air at high speeds. POOMPF! It hit the outside of the bulls-eye. Hard, kicking up dust from the material the target was made of. Finally.

"Whoo-oh!" The crowd cheered. I grabbed another arrow drew it aimed and fired. POOMPF! It hit the middle of the bulls-eye. The crowd cheered. I grabbed another arrow and threw it high in the air. I jumped into the air after it did a back flip caught the arrow in mid-flip drew it, aimed, and fired. Wham! I landed flat on my back.

"Ouch!" I said I looked up and saw the arrow flying at an abnormal angle, one that might miss the target. I sprung up like a ninja. I saw the arrow hit dead center of the bulls-eye going at a very slow speed. The crowd roared. I raised my arms.

"Show-off!" I heard Reeko say.

"Are you okay?" Celena and Hitomi asked.

"Yeah. I'm okay." I responded. I lined up with all of the other archers and prepared to fire.

"The one who scores the most points wins! Let the tournament begin!" Reeko roared. A wave of arrows soared towards the targets. I fired arrow after arrow, some of them hitting the bulls-eye, some of them hitting the outside rings, and some missing completely. This went on for about 1 hour.

"Stop!" Reeko yelled, "Let's us count the points." He said as servants went to each target and tallied the points for each archer.

"Okay, here are the results." He said as I went to the target, removed my arrows, and put them in my quiver; the rest of the archers did the same. I remembered to get the ones behind me too. I waited in anticipation for my score.

"Sage: 5 in the outside ring, 9 in the middle ring, and 13 in the bulls-eye ring. Coming to a total of 172 points!" The crowd gasped.

"Sage is 1 point ahead of last years champion Gaddes! He is the winner!" I nearly passed out on the spot. The crowd roared and got on their feet. I pressed the button on the right side of the chest plate, my arrows sunk into my quiver the top of it slid shut, and the quiver sunk back into my back. My left button spiraled open. I pressed the button on my hankyu; the string unstrung and was sucked into my bow like spaghetti. The hankyu retracted back into a 5 in tube. I slipped the tube halfway into the button and let it go. It sunk in the rest of the way and the button spiraled shut. I proceeded to the main hall for lunch taking off my helmet, shaking out my long black hair, and wiping the sweat off my forehead. But when I got there…


	6. The Knighting

_Part 6: The Knighting_

"Sage!"

"What?" A guard was running up to me with a package.

"Lord Van wants you to put this on and go to the place where Lord Van became the new king of Fanelia. ASAP."

"But what about lunch?"

"Forget lunch. You have been given orders."

"All right, all right." The guard shoved the package at me. It was the size of small moving box.

"Rrasafrasatallase." I grumbled to myself as I walked quickly to my quarters. I hate missing lunch; I have an appetite like a horse. When I got inside, my Strata armor transformed into dark blue lotus leaves that blew off of me and evaporated.

"Whoa! Oh well." I extended my on one hand and sliced the lid clear off the box. I retracted my claws and dumped out the contents. There were 3 items, a suit, and a note. The note read: " The suit is for the knighting ceremony.

"Duh." Put it on and go to the knighting courtyard. Afterwards you will go slay a dragon.

"Great." To summon your guymelef. The 3 items are weapons you will find useful on your quest. After the ceremony you will be informed on the weapons. See ya there! Van Fanel and Hitomi Kansaki." I unwrapped the suit it was the same white suit Van had worn when he assumed the throne. I took off my sub-armor, vest, pants, and bands. I quickly put it on with little difficulty, shoving my tail through the hole in the back of my pants. I snapped the chest pieces together, swung the shoulders around connecting the blue cape by the rope. I tightened the belt for my waist plates. I adjusted the shirt underneath the chest plate. I pulled on the boots connecting them to the shin and knee guard. I grabbed my helmet and rushed out of my room. As I approached the knighting courtyard I put it on.

"Sage, come forth." I stepped out of the shadows and approached an old man who was on a platform, surrounded by a dozen of guymelefs and solders all on one knee. Ignoring the whispering crowd and the funny faces of Merle and Reeko.

"Come onto the platform." the old man said. I climbed the stairs onto the platform. I got down on one knee. The old man stepped off the platform and Van stepped onto it. He was dressed in the same outfit. Hitomi was behind him wearing a queen's outfit. I saw Allen in Scherazad in the guymelef ranks, and Celena in the crowds. Van pulled out his sword, tapped me on each of my shoulders and said,

"I, Van Fanel, King of Fanelia. Dub thee Sage, A knight of Fanelia, a samurai." And with that he put away his sword.

"Rise Sage, knight of Fanelia." I stood up, roared long, and loud with the crowd as they cheered.

"We shall have a feast in his honor!" Van yelled when I stopped roaring. I followed Van and Hitomi into main hall. I then pulled out a chair at the head of the table for Celena in sync with Allen for Millerna, Van for Hitomi and Reeko for Merle. Van and Hitomi sat down at the head of the table, I sat beside Hitomi, Celena sat beside me and Reeko and Merle sat down beside her, and Allen and Millerna sat beside Van. Van and I both took off our helmets, Van put his on the top corner of his chair, I blindly threw my helmet up, and it landed on the top corner of the chair.

"Very stylish." Celena said to me.

"Thanks. Celena?"

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

"16."

"Cool. I'll be 16 on April 5."

"Oh, by the way, congratulations." She said and she kissed me on the cheek.

"Thanks, but do you know when the knights are sent to slay dragons?" I sputtered blushing. She then blushed, I looked into her eyes, and I saw she was sad about something.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. Knights are sent a year or two after being knighted…."

"And?"

"And what?"

"How many have returned?"

"None." She said with tears bellowing up in her eyes.

"Jeez louiz! Look at all this food!" I said changing the subject. There was seriously a lot of food. There were all kinds of meats, fruits, vegetables (yuck), drinks, and desserts.

"Mmmmm. There's nothing more I like more than food, unless it's more food." I said to Van and the others as I stacked my plate. They laughed. I laughed. We ate and drank till we couldn't do either one, laughing at my jokes, my clumsiness, and crazy antics. When we all our quarters, and I slept like rock.

_Dream Sequence._

_As I searched for a dragon in the deep dark forest._

"_Die Guardian!" Dilandau screamed from his guymelef trying to kill me by either stepping on me or shooting me with a chema-claw. I climbed up a tree, and started swinging like Tarzan. Surfing on branches, and swinging on vines. My armor was stained with the blood of my last kill. Vooooooom! A fire blast hurtled towards me and hit melting my armor to my body, and roasting me alive._

"Aaaah!" I sat up quickly in my bed, gasping, my fur was covered in a cold sweat, and matted because of it. I heard a knock on me door.

"Sage! What is it?" Hitomi said when I opened the door and let them in.

"Nothing it's just…" I shrugged and looked out the window and over the forest.

"You're worried about Dilandau?" Hitomi asked puzzled.

"Yea. I mean Celena was Dilandau, but it looked and sounded like the last one and had the same guymelef."

"Folken must have used the dark magic of the Rhinestone of Death to separate their souls." Van said walking into my quarters.

"But how? The Rhinestone of Death was destroyed by y'all." I said to him.

"True, but he could have put it back together." Van sat down on the couch by Hitomi.

"He would need lot's of duct tape. I'm also worried about the task of dragon slaying." I said to him.

"Will I be transported to the Mystic Moon?"

"Yes, but unfortunately so will the dragon. What's duct tape? Tape of a duck?" Van said back confused.

"Oh, man. Never mind." I moaned chuckling.

"You'll kill that overgrown lizard!" Hitomi said confidently and loudly it made us both jump.

"Sage?" Van said standing up.

"Yea?"

"Put on the armor that has the biggest sword."

"Righty-o! Please stand back." I said walking to center of the room, summoning my sub-armor.

"Does it make you tired?" Hitomi asked before she left.

"What?"

"Summoning your armor?"

"Nah. Not as much as it use to."

"See ya later." I turned to Van.

"Armor of Halo! DAO CHI!" I roared. The sign of wisdom appeared in front of me, exploded into light green lotus flowers, and created the Halo armor on top of my sub-armor, but without the sword. I grabbed the helmet and put it on.

"What time is it?"

"5:30. Why?"

"I usually wake up at this time at home. What about you?"

"I usually start my duties."

"Cool." I reached and pressed the button on my left shoulder with my right hand. The button spiraled opened and a tube that was 12 inches long slid out. It dropped into my left hand. It had my grip imprinted in it. I held it with both hands and gripped it hard. It triggered a button. On the bottom a 3­­1/2 in long spear point popped out. A 3 ½ in long thick, spear point popped up on the top of the hilt.

"This is my sword? Shoo!"

The spear point fell over on its side as if it was on a hinge. SHING! The sides of the spear point broke off, slid around and over the top of the hilt, and connected to the other side. Changing the busted spear point into a 4 pointed Chinese star. The center part of the star spiraled open. I looked into the hole and saw glimmer of steel.

"Bwa!" CHSHING! A 1.7 meter (5.7 ft) curved samurai sword with a handle on the top of the blade and a curved barb on the bottom of the blade.

"Whoa. A no-dachi!" I said.

"Well let's get to work." Van said.


	7. The Training

_Part 7: The Training_

2 years of rigorous training and preparation passed. I had summoned all of my armors and mastered the weapons that they wielded. My physical strength and speed had doubled or maybe even tripled. Hell if I know I was stronger that what's counted. My fur grew long and glossy in the winter and shrunk to about 1½ inch in the summer, and got a gold luster from training hard all day underneath the sun. I was trained to use all of the weapons by Allen and the greatest swordsmen on Gaia. I learned the landscape of Fanelia and all of the neighboring countries. I grew fiercer in my attacks, but I remain very gentle. I had gained extensive knowledge on the Legendary Celes, another guymelef like Escaflowne. I also learned how to pilot a guymelef, accidentally getting my tail stuck in one of the gears. OUCH! Not very fun, or pleasant. My armor and sub-armor adapted to build sub-armor, on, and armor, on top of my tail, to protect it. Merle and Reeko taught me how to survive in the wilderness, what plants cure poisons and are poison, what plants are edible, and what are not, stuff like that.

"You are ready to go. Prep your equipment and be ready to go at dusk." Van said.

"Yes, sir." I went to my quarters, gathered my supplies, and tested them. There was a thick 1ft pole with a button I pressed it. The pole extended until it was 3ft long with an arrow point. I threw it catching it at the end. (Because I'm good like that) SHING! The arrowhead changed into 3 prongs that were barbed. I pressed the button and it changed back into the pole and set it down on my couch. The 2nd item was a retractable shield another like Van had used in his dragon slaying mission. I hooked it to my arm and pulled the trigger. It expanded into a shield that would protect my entire upper torso. I changed it back. The 3rd item was a bag of supplies, flint and steel, medicine, etc.

"All right I'm ready to roll." I said. "But wait what armor am I going to use? Oh well. Like it matters right?" I grabbed my bag, and went into my bedroom looking into the mirror I was my slacks, weighted ankle and wrists bands, and no shirt. I grabbed my silver sleeveless vest from atop my dresser and put it in my bag. I looked out the window, it was dusk.

"Ok. Here we go." I headed out of my quarters, my bag on my shoulder, locking the door on the way out. My friends wished me good luck. I activated my sub-armor my shield melding with it as I sprinted from the castle gates towards the darkening forest, hoping not to my death. My eyes soon adjusted to the night, but I still need to make camp and get some grub I thought. I walked and

walked and walked some more.


	8. The Quest

_Part 8: The Quest _

As I continued through the forest, something caught my nose's attention. A deer.

"Mmmm. Live prey." I mumbled and quickly sprung up into the nearest tree activating the Strata armor. I pulled out the bow and drew my arrow targeting the deer. Fit! Thunk! The deer dropped, dead as a doornail.

"Yes! Whoa!" The hook on the back of my foot caught a branch and I tumbled to the ground. Clang! I landed flat on my butt.

"Ouch. Blblblbe. I meant to do that." I got up, dusted off, changed back into my sub-armor, and went to work on the deer, making a fire and then I activated the Wildfire armor, skinned the deer and cut the deer up for jerky and steaks, and changed back into my sub-armor. I cooked the steaks, rotisserie style, and smoked the jerky, for later. It smelled wonderful. As the steaks were cooking I took off my vest and stuffed it in my bag, prepping for bed, sitting up against a tree I started eating my dinner, I was finishing my 5th steak when I heard something.

"Huh?" I sniffed the air a dragon was near.

"Uh-oh. Grrr." I slowly got up put the cooled leftover steaks and jerky in my pack, threw the pack over my shoulder, activated my sub-armor, and put out the fire.

"Rrroooaaarrr!" The dragon jumped out of the trees at me. I rolled underneath him, got up, and ran like mad.

"I'll kill you! You ruined my dinner you son of a uh-oh." Now I made him mad, great this day just keeps getting better and better doesn't it? The blue beam that brought me here fell and landed on me, lifting me up just out the reach of the dragon's fangs.

"HA! Try to catch me now ugly!" I shout at him as I went up I saw a portal open for the dragon.

"Aw, crap!" I shot up and as I descended down to Earth, I saw Texas, my home, and then my school. CHING! I landed hard on the roof by a skylight.

"What the!" I heard from below. I took off, running as fast as I could to the track. When I got there I threw down my bag, and roared,

"Armor of Halo, DAO CHI!" The sign of wisdom appeared in front of me, exploded into light green lotus flowers, and created the Halo armor on top of my sub-armor. I grabbed the helmet and put it on.

I pulled out my no-dachi.

"Who the hell are you?" I spun around quickly, ready to strike, but when I saw whom it was I nearly passed out. It was Lita, Sakura, Serena, and Mai.

"Well, who the hell are you?" Sakura said.

"Let's worry about that later. Go hide there is a land dragon coming, they're meaner than bull with a toothache." I said waiting for the portal to open ahead.

"Where have I heard that before?" Lita said. I saw a couple of feet ahead of me the plains spiraled into a vortex and ripped open showing the forest of Gaia.

"Oh, yeah." Lita said.

"Holy …?" Mai gasped.

"Ssssh." I watched the dragon come out of the vortex and demolished the fence.

"Scram. Go hide."

"You don't have to tell us twice." Serena said as they hide behind a storage shed, which stored the track equipment. It's chest glowed and expanded. Fire breath.

"Aiyaaa!" I retracted my no-dachi, pulled one cord, which extended my shield, and took cover. FFOOWOOSSH! The fire blew past me. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! My shield was smoking, red-hot, and warped; I pulled another cord. Psst! That jettisoned it; I swung my arm out re-extending my no-dachi.

"RRRROOOOAARRRR!" The dragon roared charging at me. I pressed a hidden button on temple, the chin slid up and folded down as my mask slid up my helmet. I took a deep breath.

"RrrrrrOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRR!" I let loose a roar that shook the Earth and probably Gaia. The dragon stopped in its tracks and sniffed the air. He charged again, I sidestepped him deactivating the Halo and activating the Strata armor. Aiming my arrow I said,

"Hey big and ugly! This is for ruining my dinner!" The dragon spun and faced me mad as a hornet. FLIT! Poomff! The arrow pierced his left eye that squirted out a large amount of bluish-green almost purple blood. The dragon spun right yowling in pain, now he is pissed off. I have his attention. While his was distracted I deactivated the Strata armor and roared.

"Armor of Turrent! DAO SHIN!" The sign of trust appeared in front of me, exploded into light blue lotus flowers, and created the Turrent armor on top of my sub-armor, the helmet already on.

Whipping the yari (trident) around opening the 2 outside prongs I stabbed his right front shoulder, closing it, the trident that is disabling that leg. Ouch! The dragon screamed even louder.

"Look out!" I ran, the dragon's jaws right behind me. I deactivated the Turrent armor and roared.

"Armor of Halo! DAO CHI!"

He struck at me with his tail. CHING!

The tail hit my armor as it finished, sending me flying.

"UNH! AAHHH! UNNH!"I hit the ground face down sliding towards my friends hiding spot.

"Watch out, tail!" Lita screamed. I rolled out of the way the tail digging into the ground. I flipped over, springing onto my feet, drawing my no-dachi, and saw the tail flying at me again. I dodged out of the way, the tail point slamming into the storage shed, destroying it, my friends screaming and running away, to find another place to hide. I hope everyone's okay I thought. Okay now I was mad.

"Nobody attacks my friends! KIYAH!" I roared enraged as I struck hacking off his tail blade in one slash, bluish-green almost purple blood spewed from the wound, the dragon roared in pain. I bolted around to other side and jumped, intending to end it, and I met the dragon's claws. I flew several feet and came crashing to the ground. I stabbed my no-dachi into the ground and pulled myself to my feet, my armor and sub-armor had been cut through and I was bleeding, and pretty badly too. I held my chest with my right hand, my blood dripping from my wounds, running down my armor, to the ground. I took a deep breath, looking the mighty dragon in the eyes and saw him lick the crimson blood, my blood, off his claws with his serpent-like tongue, he charged at me. I pulled my no-dachi out of the ground, held it with both hands in the Yakon stance, and roared with all my might as I charged. I saw the dragon falter in his charge I got in close and sunk my entire blade into him, the dragon screamed, as I cut up with all my might, adding a jump to cut higher, I opened him up from the ending point between his lungs to the base of his head getting drenched in his blood. I landed with my back facing him, his blood dripping from my no-dachi, and mixing with mine as it dripped off my armor. The dragon let out a bone-chilling death cry as it fell, crashing to the ground, dead, I turned around and saw a pink tennis ball size ball, the drag energist, the dragon's heart. I pulled it out and dragon decayed into dust, the dragon's blood evaporating. I held it high as I stumbled and fell onto my back. My friends ran over to me as I retracted my no-dachi and put it away and I changed back into my sub-armor and then out of that. The 4 claws marks, were 3 ¾ inches apart and each cut was an inch and a half wide, the first one started from my right hip and went diagonally all the way to my left side, and the last one went from my armpit across my neck and ended at my hair line. Now they had scabbed over, my fur was matted with blood and sweat. I saw through the blood, the faces of my friends looking down at me.

"Whew, I'm glad that's finally over." Serena said.

"Are you okay?" Lita asked me.

"Does he look okay? Who or what the hell are you?" Mai asked me as I lay there. My silver flame aura flared up and coated my body and my symbol appeared on my chest. My wounds glowed and burned as the healing powers of my stone activated. I raised my hand and felt my face and then my chest. My wounds were healed and without leaving a scar too. Moreover, it didn't take very long either.

"Hmm a accelerated healing factor. Interesting." I felt stronger too and climbed to my feet, stretched as I walked over to my bag, and put the drag-energist in it and took out my vest and put it on.

"Hey! Are you listening?" Sakura asked impatiently. I went over, grabbed my shield, and manually closed it as far as I could and put it in my bag. Mai stepped in front of me asked really pissed off.

"Well?" I raised my upper lip slightly and growled quietly. Mai took a step back a little worried.

"Wait. Let me see your eyes." Lita asked as the rest of them gathered in front of me, looking into my eyes. My eyes are blue with swirls of silver around the pupils the silver's intensity changes with emotion.

"What is your name?" Lita asked me. I turned and started to walk away from them, but they surrounded me.

"Fine. My name is Sage." I said in a noble voice, full of pride. They all gasped.

"A Samurai of Fanelia." Slamming my fist against my chest.

"Ow." I rubbed my chest Lita giggled.

"Is that really you Sage?" Mai asked.

"Yes. It is Mai." Lita said.

"Are you sure?" Sakura demanded.

"Look at him." Serena said. They were all checking me out.

"I wonder if this attached." Sakura said to herself as she pulled my tail.

"Aak! Hey cut it out!" I roared they all jumped.

"Come on." Heading towards the school gesturing for them to follow.

"Maybe you should change into something more human?" Lita suggested.

"What?" I put a totally confused look on my face that all my friends knew.

"It is Sage I know that confused look anywhere." Lita said. Serena, Mai, and Sakura agreed.

"Man, took you long enough." I said acting like myself as I pulled out a hunk of deer jerky and dug my fangs into it. I looked around at their stunned faces.

"What? I'm hungry. I'd like ta see you fight a dragon on a half-empty stomach." I said grinning.

"Yep that's Sage for ya." Sakura said. We talked for a while; I was trying to explain to them what exactly happened to me, they were in the light of a streetlight, while I was hidden in the shadows. This one guy came by looking for trouble, he found it. He was harassing my friends and you don't do that while I'm here.

"Back off." I said growling.

"Come out and face me like a man."

"Fine." My friends stepped in front of my hiding spot. I gestured them aside bowing my head. I stepped out of the darkness, teeth bared, and claws unsheathed, I approached him, he was the same size as me. I looked him dead in the eye.

"Yipe." I am not exaggerating, that is what he said frozen to the spot. I took a deep breath.

"RrrrrrOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRR!" It made my friends jump again but it was worth it to see a 21-year-old dude scream like little girl, wet his pants, and run screaming, blabbering utter nonsense. I just had to start laughing, we laughed and talked about that for a while.

After a few minutes I saw a twinkle in the stars.

"I got to go now." I said just as the blue beam of light fell from the sky and landed on us.

"Wait, don't go!" Mai said as I started to rise off the ground.

"I'll be back as soon as possible I promise! Adios amigos! Ding! Check please! Take care my friends!" I said as they all waved goodbye and I waved back. I shot into the stars watching the Earth get smaller and Gaia appear and get bigger.


	9. Summoning the Dragon

_Part 9: Summoning the Dragon_

I landed a couple of miles from Fanelia. To avoid any more run-ins with dragons I sprung into the trees. Moving stealthy and swiftly I quickly swung through the trees swinging on vines, surfing on branches, etc. I passed out halfway there, collapsing in the trees, too tired to go on. I woke up at dawn and continued my journey to the castle. When I got to the castle it was high noon I quickly climbed the high wall to be greeted by the guards stationed there. They blew their trumpets with me roaring announcing my return and success. A royal horse was brought to my position I slid down a ladder to the ground and mounted the white horse that took me to the castle. When I got to the castle Van, Hitomi, Allen, Celena, and the greatest swordsmen on Gaia, greeted me.

"Well did you complete your task?" The leader, Balgus asked. I held up the drag-energist for all of Fanelia to see.

"Well let's head to the shrine." Van said gesturing me to follow. I followed him and the rest of the group, except for the swordsmen, followed me. When we arrived I saw two huge platforms one was for Escaflowne and the other is for Celes, because it had egg over it. Just like the one Escaflowne was sealed in.

"There's Celes." Van said pointing to the egg.

"Well here we go." I said stepping onto the platform standing in the center, activating my sub-armor, underneath the egg. I extended the one claw and cut my left thumb letting the plasma flow into crevices of the energist. The energist started to glow holding the glowing energist high I said.

"I, Sage, samurai of Fanelia. Bond myself by blood pact to thee Celes. Thou sleeping dragon awaken!"

The ring around the platform I was standing on started to turn counter clockwise while another ring on the outside of the first started to spin clockwise. They sped up and emitted a strong light pink wind alongside the rings that blew up my hair. Blue electricity started to swirl alongside the rings and pick up, as the pink light got brighter and brighter turning white. Then the electricity shot up striking the glowing egg, coating it knocking a couple little pieces off. The electricity continued to strike to egg until it suddenly cracked no make that shattered! Big ol' chunks burst off and fell to the ground exposing the forming guymelef inside.

"Celes." The guymelef finished materializing, the rings slowly stopped turning, and the wind died. I backed off the platform as Celes dropped onto the platform in front of me crouching on his right knee.

"Whoa." I said my eyes glittering with excitement. Celes looked a lot like Escaflowne, but he was sea blue, its shoulders are a little more rounded rather than diamond, and a long tail with a 3-prong claw. It also had fangs alongside his "face" and had no cape. I jumped up onto his left knee and pushed my hand holding the energist through the open red "heart" letting go of the energist as I pulled my hand out making a slight ripple. Celes' heart flashed white then died and hard covering closed over it to protect it. BUN-BUM, BUN-BUM, BUN-BUM. The energist started beating like a heart, then flat lined.

"Yes!" SSSSSSS! With an organic ripping noise Celes' chest split down the middle and the 2 sections split into 4, 2 large, and 2 small. The two large sections slid up to the left or right, while the 2 bottom sections slid down to the left of the right, revealing the compartment I would be in. The ribs. The ribs split into 4 pieces, the 2 sides slid to the side, the head raised up the 2 large sections of the outside door rising up to the side of the head the bottom piece sliding down revealing the cockpit.

"Sage!" Allen shouted.

"What?"

"Van and I will meet you in the coliseum."

"For what?"

"A battle."

"Bring it."

"Take it easy on him, okay?" Hitomi told Van and Allen.

"We will." Van assured her as they left to prepare their guymelefs for battle. I jumped into the cockpit and roared looking up towards the head.

"Celes, you may take my blood now!" The inside of the head glowed and the ribs slid shut, the outside doors sliding back into place.

"Sage!" Celena. I was quickly encased in a tight fitting shell, which came from the inside of the cockpit, that covered my entire body except my head. My feet were elevated to simulate real walking. I roared as four huge drills bored into the neck of my sub-armor. 4 on each side of my neck which shrunk into a cone shape, and started to pump out a blue-silver liquid almost plasma from my sub-armor. Lubrication for the gears and gizmos in Celes. BUN-BUM, BUN-BUM, BUN-BUM. His heart started beating in sync with mine. Moreover, I could see through his face.

"Sage! Are you okay?" Celena said.

"Yea! I'm fine." I learned in my research that when your bloody energist enters Celes, you are permanently bonded until death. This means whatever damage inflicted into Celes occurs to the pilot and cannot be healed until Celes is repaired. So I figured that it would be different because the drills are in my sub-armor, so if Celes is damaged, my sub-armor will take the damage. In addition, when I change out of the sub-armor the damage will be repaired. Cool huh? Let's hope that works. He sprouted glowing tendrils that coalesced into a flowing cape blue on top, red on the bottom that was underneath the shoulder blades. Videomaboroshismall.mpg (00:02:10)

"Good just like the old texts said. Kinda claustrophobic, but kinda cozy in creepy way." I stood up and slowly headed out. My first couple of steps was awkward then more casual. I walked into the coliseum and saw Escaflowne, Scherazad, and all of the people of Fanelia.

"So Sage are you ready to go?" Van asked his faceplate open.

"Bring it on! RRROOOAAR!" I roared, Escaflowne's faceplate closed and he and Scherazad drew their swords. I instinctively extended my claws I looked at them they looked like my cat claws except they were much larger, like scythes! I retracted them. I reached behind my head and bone-like protrusion sprung up I had found my sword's hilt. I grabbed it and a large amount of plasma flowed out as I ripped it free and held it front of my chest. Chunt. The hilt opened up. SHING! The small blade I pulled out extended and has it did it curved to become tachi or daito.

"Who's first?"

"I am." Van said stepping forward. "If you get past me you'll face Allen."

The crowd fell silent as Van and I circled each other waiting to see who will make the first move.

"HHHyyaahh!" Van charged at me coming at me as if he was trying to kill me.

"Hyah!" I blocked his attack that would have cut me in half. We fought as if one of us would leave the coliseum breathing. A fierce battle raged between us for several minutes until all of a sudden our guymelefs froze.

"What! I can't budge!" I roared I felt the drills pop out of my sub-armor, my sub-armor healing itself.

"Uh-oh." Celes' chest split open and I was shot out of Celes' cockpit.

"Aaah! Oooff!" The interfacing shell detaching flying back into Celes his chest sealing shut.

I landed on the ground on my feet and looked at Van who was ejected as well. We looked at our guymelefs who put away their swords and crouched down on one knee facing us. In sync with each other.

"What happened?" I asked Van and just as confused as I was.

"I don't know I think Escaflowne and Celes are blood brothers." Van responded.

"They are, I remember reading something about Escaflowne while I was studying Celes it says: "the brothers will not shed each others blood." Or something like to that effect anyway."

"Ladies and gentlemen Sage is the winner!" Van said.

"Let's just hope you beat Allen." He whispered in my ear. He jumped into Escaflowne and left the coliseum.

"Yeah." I sprung into Celes' leg and laid my hand on his heart, which flashed white, the chest opening. I jumped in, sealed inside, and was interfaced as Allen in Scherazad entered. I drew my sword and prepared for him to charge.

"HYAH!" Me no patent so I charged him rather aggressively. Allen blocked my attack and struck downward hoping to end this in one blow.

"Not today." I roared as I blocked his attack knocking it to the side. He swung again aiming for my side. Ching! Blocked it as well. I jumped back and charged aiming for his energist. He sidestepped me and tripped me. I hit the ground on my stomach, my sword sliding away from me.

"Crap." I said slamming my fist on the ground as I rolled over and sprung back onto my feet like a ninja.

"Whoa, I have never seen a guymelef do that. Oh well. " Allen said has he charged again. I blocked it with my claws. I backpedaled and I saw my sword on the other side of Allen. I ran toward him and went sky-high, doing a jump kick! But Allen moved out of the way and I just flew by him landing behind him. I spun around, my tail blades hooking onto a piece of my sword I lifted my sword with my tail to my hand I grabbed it blade down. I removed my tail from it, swung it around blocking Allen's attack, and charged in deeper ramming him with shoulder, knocking him backwards. I attacked him ferociously with my sword or with my body (fists, claws, feet, tail blades, shoulder, etc..) or both. I wasn't restricted like Scherazad. I could jump higher, run faster, and so be able to strike harder than any other guymelef or at least that's what I learned from the schematics in the research on Celes. Allen is the more skilled fighter, but he is limited in movement. On the other hand I am skilled but aggressive fighter not limited in movement.

"Man he won't stay put so I can attack him." Allen as he spun around to counter another one of my attacks. The crowd was going nuts; they have never seen a guymelef move like Celes.

"Time to make my final move."

"What does that mean?" Allen asked as the battle ceased just long enough for me to spot my opening.

"Hyah!" I roared as I struck at him with my tachi. Allen blocked it one-handed, easily.

"That's was your final attack?"

"No this is. Surprise!" I yelled as I made a swift low kick knocking Scherazad of its feet.

"Oh-no. Not again!" Allen yelled as his guymelef crashed to the ground. I pointed my sword at his cockpit of Scherazad.

"Game over. You lose." I moved Scherazad to the side of the coliseum so I would have plenty of room so I started twirling my sword doing an exhibition of what I could do in Celes and by myself. You would probably call me a show-off, but I don't care. After I was finished I retracted my sword twirling it some, faster this time over my hand into the air and back into the sheath behind my head with a clank. The crowd was on their feet as Escaflowne came in and rose up my arm declaring me the champion. Escaflowne and I helped Scherazad up and putting one arm underneath Scherazad's shoulder positioning his arms over our shoulders and leading Scherazad out of the coliseum and to the repair docks. We set him down gently in a chair and exited our guymelefs after sitting in our designated docking points.

"Allen!" Van yelled into the cockpit. No reply.

"Hello." I stared through the vents into his cockpit Allen laid there unconscious.

"He's knocked out." I told Van.

"This'll wake him up, but you might want to cover your ears." Everybody covered their ears.

"TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTsssseeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee!" I screamed like a falcon as loud and as high as my voice box could muster. When silence resumed everybody was shaking their heads trying to get the ringing out. I heard a low soft moaning from inside Scherazad.

"He's awake!" Van yelled.

"Allen! Wake up!" I roared.

"Ooh. What happened?" Allen asked after he exited Scherazad's cockpit his head bleeding.

"You got knocked out after Sage tripped you and you hit the ground." Van explained as he and Gaddes helped him to the infirmary.

"Van!"

"Yes."

"It there any way you teach me how to transform Celes into a dragon?"

"Yes. After we get Allen to the infirmary. Meet me in the coliseum."

"Thank you." I jumped back into Celes, hooked up, and made my way to the coliseum.

"Man I hope he's okay." I said to no one.

"He suffered a mild concussion, but he will live." Van as he entered the coliseum in Escaflowne.

"When transforming Celes to a dragon. It can be done with the mind." He explained.

"Like this watch." He said he transformed Escaflowne into a dragon.

"You try." He yelled from Escaflowne's back.

"Okay." I can do this. I concentrated and said to Celes in thought transform to dragon mode. Nothing.

"Concentrate harder, focus." Van said. I closed my eyes, focused, and concentrated harder. Celes! Beast Mode! I ask of you. Please. The energist glowed brightly and I felt the drills pop out of my neck and the body suit retract. I felt my cape retract and my tail blades folded back into my tail and my tail retract. At the end of my shoulder joints, my wings folded out from my back, the last joint folding out from the middle joint. Which dislocated the shoulders blades from the body so the beginning of Celes' wings are a little below his arms, the right wing came first, the left wing not far behind. The shoulder blades stretched open a little bit and the leather stretched from the shoulder blade to the wingtip forming a pair of dragon wings. My sword hilt slid down into its sheath the 2 protrusions on the side of it hooking onto 2 hooks and 2 hooks on the top folded down locking it in place. The plate closed diagonally changing it into a neck bone.

The chest that was the dragon's head pulled up which made the humanoid head slid down into it the two outside horns making the dragon's bottom jaw. When the H.head did this it pulled up a neck bone that connected to the bone on his back pulling it forward to where the H. head was completing the dragon's neck. As the dragon reared back, the ribs in view the chest pushed and sealed together the energist sliding to the bottom of the sealed dragon's chest. Squirting a large amount of plasma. The hand retracted as the joint on the inside of the forearm folded out and connected with the long joint on the other side of the forearm which turned 45 degrees to face the ground which extended three claws two in front one in back completing the front legs. Celes' upper body was full dragon and he crashed onto the ground landing on his front legs. The top part of his legs folded out on joints at the hips and extended three toes two forward one backward his back legs, which lifted him up. The remainder of his legs stretched, turned so inside edges faced each other, and his feet flat connected together with a crunching sound. The plate right behind neck and a little above the wings hissed out steam as it up and forward and up a little more. It folded up and out revealing a spot where I'm suppose to stand, behind me was flat section with 2 long curved sections on the top of the flat part, and 2 short section on the bottom of it. I grabbed a set of reins and held them tightly.

Transformation Complete.

"Awesome!" My dragon is smaller than Escaflowne.

"Tomorrow you will learn how to fly Celes." Van said.

"Ok."

"Now let's transform back."

"Righty-o! Celes Maximize!" Reverse directions. His tail split in half, his legs turned to face the ground, Celes' back dragon legs retracted his talons as they reconnected to the top of my legs. His legs shrunk to meet the upper parts and he lifted himself off the ground, I dropped down into the cockpit, the plate sealing shut behind me. The front claws folded in as the front arms turned 45 degrees the opposite direction so they were facing outward as the long joint folding back and the smaller joint folding back his hand extended out. The chest separated his ribs in view his energist sliding over to its original position; his dragonhead disconnected from his H. head, the dragonhead sliding down becoming the chest, the H.head sliding down into position, the first neck joint moved onto his back, the second neck joint with H.head on it slid into position over the cockpit. His shoulder blades shrunk back to normal as the shoulder blades reconnected to my shoulder as his wings folded back into his back. I was interfaced, Celes' cape coalesced, and my tail extended my tail blades springing out and locking like a steel trap. Escaflowne and I left the coliseum and docked in the shrine. We exited our guymelefs and went to bed.


	10. Dragon flight or Dragon snare?

_Part 10: Dragon flight or Dragon snare?_

I woke up before dawn, 7:00, showered, dressed, and headed toward the docking area. I activated my sub-armor, jumped onto Celes' leg, placed my hand on the energist the cockpit opened I entered it. After I was interfaced I headed out of the docking area and to the coliseum. I reached behind my head and bone-like protrusion sprung up I had found my sword's hilt. I grabbed it and a large amount of plasma flowed out as I ripped it free and held it front of my chest. Chunt. The hilt opened up. SHING! The small blade I pulled out extended and has it did it curved to become tachi or daito. I practiced my sword movements and attacks for a while until I smelt and heard Van coming up behind me; it's kinda hard to be quiet in those things, probably sword drawn.

"Kiyah!" I said swinging my sword around I as spun around. CLANG! Our swords connected.

"Good morning." Van said retracting his sword and sheathing it.

"Good morning." I responded retracting my sword and putting the tip of the retracted blade slide into the slot in the bone on my back letting it slide down to the hilt into the slot. Now it looks like I have a bone-like protrusion on my back behind my head. Then my sword hilt slid down into its sheath the 2 protrusions on the side of it hooking onto 2 hooks and 2 hooks on the top folded down locking it in place. The plate closed diagonally changing it into a neck bone.

"Let's go." Van said heading out of the coliseum with me right behind him. We headed through the forest and we stopped at the edge of the highest cliff.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"Jump!" Van yelled as we backpedaled, ran, and jumped off the cliff.

"YEEAAHHH!" Van and I yelled as fell, our guymelefs transforming into dragons. Flapping to level ourselves out we glided at high speeds, Van with ease, me with just itsi bit of difficulty, but I got the hang of it before I crashed into the canopy!

"You okay yet?" Van asked.

"Yeah, kinda, maybe. I think. I hope." I said as I pulled back on the reins making Celes flap and ascend to Van's altitude.

"Got the hang of it yet?" Van yelled over. I had adapted.

"Yea.Yeeeaaaahhh!" I roared as I spiraled downward into a dive, doing some awesome aerial stunts nearly crashing several times.

"Woo." I said hitting a thermal rising to Van's altitude; we flew along at now higher speeds pushing the full extent of our dragons. As we passed a mountain I caught a ripple in the side of the mountain.

"Whoa! Hey Van I'll be right back I have to check something out." I roared over to him.

"Okay." Van said.

"I'll call you if I need you." I replied.

"Right!"

I pulled back on my left reign hard, and let my right reign retract as I pulled up on both causing Celes to rotate 90 degrees vertically and turn to the left flying back around the mountain. I saw the ripple again, but there was more than one. Wait a minute. The ripples split in half and fell onto the shoulders of a group of Zaibachian Aldaisies, 1 new version, and the rest old versions.

"Oh shhhoooooottttt!" I roared flying away from them as fast as possible towards Van.

"That's the dragon Lord Folken wants. Get him!" The leader Dilandau screeched as his half-dragon guymelef opened giant bat-like wings while the rest of them changed into a hovercraft.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap!" I said swerving to lose them. Nothing.

Van HELP! 

I'm on my way! He responded.

"Eat this!" Dilandau screamed as a thick chema-claw shot out of the center of his hand, he grabbed it and chunked it at me. If the chema-claw hits me it would first pierce me and then explode! Blowing me to pieces, yep it would defiantly kill me. I spun Celes around, dropped the reins that retracted and powered up my stone. Celes was hovering on a thermal; flapping his wings to keep me level, just to let you know. My silver flame aura flared up and my symbol appeared as I roared throwing my hands toward Dilandau.

" Windy shield!" A green barrier of wind swirled up around me, a shield. I saw the chema-claw flying toward me and when it hit the shield it felt like I was trying to hold back an 18-wheeler at 65 mph. Not easy I've seen the gross weight of an 18-wheeler being um 27,600 pounds and at 65 mph that's a lot of inertia.

"UUUGGGHH!" My veins on my temples, neck, and arms stood out. The chema-claw hit sunk half way into the shield, then exploded, knocking me unconscious my back hit the brace the shockwave throwing me off of Celes. All was black.

"Uhhh!" I opened my eyes slowly to see Van standing over me.

"What! Where am I? Where is Celes?"

"Calm down! Zaibach as captured Celes."

"Grrrrrrrrr." I growled clenching my fist.

"Folken" Van nodded head.

"And Dilandau. GrrraARRR!" I sprung up onto my feet, heading towards the door.

"No Sage." Van said grabbed my arm. "You have to stay here, if you go you'll be heading right into a trap."

"I know, but I have to retrieve Celes."

"Celes will be fine, after you flew off of him, he transformed back, brought his arms and legs together, his tail wrapped around and shell coated turning him into a giant egg.

It was then rolled into a giant freighter that headed towards Folken's diamond-shaped floating fortress."

"So the freighter is not that far away, good. I'll be back, with Celes." I said breaking through Van's grip sprinting towards the door. Allen jumped in front of it.

"Uh-uh-uh-uh." He said wagging his finger. I spun around, dodged Van, who tried to tackle me and shielded my face as I jumped out the window. Ccccchhhhsssshhhh! I fell 2 stories to the ground of the courtyard, activating my sub-armor on the way down. Booomm! I crouched my legs upon impact. My feet made small craters in the ground. 2 hatches opened, one on each side of my spine the top hatch was 4 inches long that extended a thinner curved section that was 4 inches long. The bottom hatch was 3 inches and angled downward. I extended my wings, the edges sliding into place in the hatches. By then Van, Hitomi, Allen, Merle, Reeko, and Celena were down there and had circled around me.

"I will be back. With Celes, and Folken's stone." My sign burned through my sub-armor and my sliver flame aura covered my entire body I roared charging my energy.

"Aaaaaahh!" A circle of wind circled around me blowing up dust, the wind picked up, and formed a dome over me. I clench my fists, threw my arms back to my sides and I roared.

" Supersonic rush! " (AN: Couldn't think of anything else.) I exploded off the ground at a 45-degree angle the sonic boom knocking everyone off his or her feet. I blasted through the air gaining some extreme altitude flying towards the giant freighter. I landed on the peak of a mountain that stuck out over the clouds, crouching my legs, extending my foot claws to stick me to the peak, and closing my wings, and started to scan for the great freighter. It was pretty easy to find it, it looked like a giant flying watermelon floating above the clouds. I jumped off the peak diving to gain great speed, and riding thermals to gain altitude. I was so high, to them; I looked like a large boid. Yes I said boid.(Slaps forehead)

"Alright I hope I know what I'm doing." I mumbled. My wings disintegrated in a flurry of feathers and my hatches sealed shut and I skydived towards the ship. I landed on the watchtower with a thud, crouched.

"Who are you? Identify yourself!" The guard said as he spun around. I just smiled/snarled, he went for his sword. Uh-uh. Sleph! I struck him with my razor sharp claws slicing him from the hip to the opposite shoulder. The guard spewing blood his sword half drawn died instantly. I retracted my bloodstained claws and whispered but with the same amount of fervor.

"Armor of Wildfire! DAO JIN!" I jumped off the watchtower falling onto the main deck with a clank and sprinted towards the bridge. I came to a four-way intersection on one of the lower decks I had gotten a little lost. And to make matters worse I ran into three guards, one from each hallway.

"Uh…which way is the bathroom? I think I'm lost."

"That's the freak that Folken's wants he will pay handsomely for him!" The 1st guard said drawing his sword.

"Let's git 'em!" The 2nd one replied drawing his sword.

"Right!" The 3rd agreed as he drew his sword and charged at me yelling his battle cry the rest followed.

"Oy. Here we go again. HhyYAHH!" I roared as I whipped out my twin katanas and charged them. Clang! One of my swords clashed with the sword of the guard on my left. I used my other sword and sliced the guard in the front a new stomach and when I brought my sword back over to block the attack from the right guard I decapitated the front guard. Clang! I blocked the right guard's attack. I felt the left guard pushing on his sword with all his might, an opportunity. I released my block on the left guard and sent him flying into my other katana slicing him in half. "Augh." Swing! Shing! Clang! Clang! Thud! I let the last guard think he had the advantage as he disarmed me of both swords and pinning me to the wall his blade at my throat.

"Well you're a tenacious little bastard aren't ya?" the guard said to me. "I'll get paid handsomely for this."

"No you won't Mr. I Want a Death Wish. Hyah!" I said as I slashed his face with my razor blade claws leaving his face torn and bleeding like a stuffed pig. He screamed in pain holding his face as he sliced down trying to cut the arm that I cut him with off. CCHIIZ! I caught the sword between my thumb and fingers. He grunted pushing down with all his might.

"You will be given to lord Folken dead or alive!" He screeched as he pulled the alarm. Woop! Woop! Woop! Woop! "Not today!" I felt an ancient power begin to channel within me. The veins in my temples stood out as I unleashed a telekinetic attack that threw the guard all the way down the corridor and into the dead end steel wall, when he hit that wall, he was pounded into the metal, I saw a streak of blood fall to the ground, and he wasn't moving.

"Eww. He went streaking." I said laughing at my own stupid joke dropping his sword and picking up my own. I could sense Folken's energy and followed it to the bridge, mercilessly slaughtering any guard who tried to stop me, my primal instincts kicking in. I ultimately reached the bridge and a most unwelcoming party, Folken, Dilandau, with a large group of Dragon Slayers, greeted me.

"Put down your weapons, you are outnumbered." Folken said as Dilandau and the other Dragon Slayers drew their swords.

"I slay all my enemies." Is all I said and they charged me.

"Hyahh!" I charged at the charging warriors. At first I made it seem that I was having trouble fighting on two fronts against several warriors at once, wrong. I sped up, slicing and dicing with brutal efficiency and fluidic accuracy, knocking out Dilandau with the butt of my sword as I spun to slice a killing blow on the final guard and charged at Folken with incredible speed.

"Hyyaah!" Folken roared unleashing a telekinetic attack that threw me off my feet flipping in the air and into the back wall the back of my head hitting my helmet knocking me unconscious.

"Uhh. Damn it!" Were the last words I said.


	11. The Ultimate Challenge, staying alive!

_Part 11: The Ultimate Challenge, staying alive!_

I woke up on my stomach without armor and sub armor in a vast room, in front of me was chair with a lamp on each side of it, which emitted a blue flame.

"I feel like I got hit by a bus ugh." I rolled over, sprung on to my feet, running over to the window, and looked out. I was inside Folken's diamond shaped flying fortress high above the forest of a country called Auld, far away from Fanelia.

"Man talk about being a long way from home, I gotta get outta here." I backed up and charged slamming my shoulder into the glass. Thump!

"Ouch." Again! Thump!

"Oarr!" I extended my claws and started slicing into glass. After a while I retracted my claws and ran back a couple of feet.

"Aaaaaaaah!" I said shoulder charging towards the glass. CRACK!

"Roaarrr!" The window barely cracked as I backed away clutching my dislocated shoulder. Well that didn't work, I thought to myself as I searched for another exit. I felt around my shoulder and found where it was dislocated and walked towards the window brace.

"Okay 1..2..3!" I slammed my arm hard into the brace, popping my shoulder back in.

"Oweee!" I stretched my arm. Dofus! Use your armors! I thought smacking myself on the forehead. I activated my sub-armor and prepared to summon the strongest armor of all!

"Armor of Hardrock! DAO GI!" The sign of justice appeared in front of me and exploded into orange lotus flowers and created the Hardrock armor on top of my sub-armor, the Testsubo (a 3-section staff with a Naginata blade on one side) in 3 section nunchucks form connecting onto my back. I grabbed the helmet and put it on. I backed up farther than before and charged hard. Ccccchhhhsssshhhh! The horn on my shoulder shattered a hole in the glass. I backed up to jump kick it and I heard someone walk in.

"I've been waiting for you, Sage." Folken. I growled harshly and spat to him.

"Well sorry to disappoint you, but I'll be leaving now. Hyyah!" I ran towards the glass jumping into the air doing a jump kick.

"Fool." He shot a telekinetic attack that sounded like gun going off, and when it hit me it sent me flying.

"Aah!" Clank! I hit the ground, sliding landing on one knee my armor and sub-armor deactivating.

"What!" I roared snarling at Folken standing up.

"Your armor as been dispelled, Guardian." He spat at the word Guardian.

"Why are you doing this?" I roared at him.

"For power." He said as he unleashed another telekinetic attack that grabbed me at the throat and lifted me into the air choking me.

"Augg!" I struggled to free myself of it with no effect.

"You have no idea what powers lay dormant inside you. Have you heard of the Dragon Clan?"

"Yes, but they are all dead." I croaked.

"Wrong. I, my brother Van, and the head of the Dragon Slayers; Dilandau all have Dragon Clan blood running through our veins.."

"But isn't Dilandau of lower birth? Auc!"

"Yes, but when the last part of Rhinestone of Life activated at your touch and entered you.."

"More like pounded itself into me. AAK!" Note to self, don't try and talk whilst being choked, it doesn't work very well.

"It altered you pouring pure Dragon Clan blood into your veins, that blood grants you magical powers.1 telekinesis. 2 the ability to sense others who have that Blood or using magic and your wings."

"You seem to have forget something I learn by example and you just taught me how to use my telekinesis. HHYYYYAAAHHH!" I roared my telekinesis breaking his grip around my neck.

"Interesting."

"Eat this! RRROOOAAARRR!" I shot another telekinetic attack. Unfortunately he blocked easily with a shield and shot it back ten-fold which hit me in the chin before I had time to react. Blood flew following the shockwave and splattering the floor as my head flew back blood dripping from my mouth, I fell to the ground unconscious.

"Ouch!" I said like Robin William in _Flubber_ when he fell out the window and landed on his back.

"Now take him down below and chain him up by his hands and feet." I heard Folken say while I lay unconscious.

"Let's hoist it into the air and torture it." Dilandau said and laughed his creepy laugh.

"No leave him on the ground and leave him unscathed."

"Fine. You're no fun. Bring a stretcher!" He yelled at the guards. "Bastard." he kicked me in the stomach I coughed out blood and released a telekinetic attack that knocked him off his feet. Folken chuckled softly as Dilandau stormed out. Man I wish I could have seen the look on his face. I woke up again, on a cold stone floor. I slowly climbed onto my feet I looked around, it was your basic prison cell: no sunlight, the only light was two torches on the far side of the room. I could see perfectly. GRUUURRGRUR! My stomach growled I rubbed it with my hand and felt cold steel on my belly.

"Wha..?" I looked at my wrists there were shackles 2 inches wide on them attached to a crane. I had 2 more 2 in shackles on my ankles they were also connected to the crane. My vest, pants, and all of my weighted bands had been removed and I could see it on the table by the torches where Dilandau and his group of Dragon Slayers were, sitting laughing, drinking, and eating. I quietly sniffed the air I don't care what they are eating, but it smells good! I licked my lips and started thinking on a way to get out of here sitting down on floor laying my back against the back wall. VAN! HITOMI! I roared in thought-speak going into a trance visualizing myself on a flat plane of water. Minutes passed and still nothing.

S…Sage? Hitomi said materializing onto the plain. Thank God.

Hitomi is Van there? 

I am now. Van said materializing.

Oh. Were you sleeping? 

We were. It's 5:30 in the morning. What's going on? 

I've been taken captive by Folken. I'm in the prison now inside his diamond-shaped fortress. 

They both sprung into action, running up to me.

Why I am not surprised? Where are you? Van.

Last I knew we were over Auld. 

Are you okay? Hitomi.

I'm hungry, but I'll live. 

Stay alive we're on way. Van said dematerializing from my mental field.

We'll stay touch. Hitomi said

Right. 

Oh, ya Celena _misses_ you. She said teasingly as she dematerialized smiling.

"Grrrr." Oops. I came out of the trance to see Dilandau turn around, grin, and say to the Dragon Slayers.

"Let's go have some fun." They all drunkenly agreed. Aw crap. They got up I sprung to my feet as they walked towards me I snarled and charged towards them, but I was yanked back by the chains my jaws snapping shut a inch in front of Dilandau's face.

"Bad kitty!" Dilandau said as he punched me in the face.

"Roar!" He just added fuel to the fire. My fire. I charged forward trying to tear him apart, the shackles starting to cut into my wrists and ankles, but I was too ticked off to feel the pain.

"Stupid cat! Hit 'em again Dilandau!" One of the drunk Dragon Slayers said. Unfortunately Dilandau responded by launching a telekinetic attack that threw me against the back wall. I roared in pain and shot one back at him sending him flying. All of the Dragon Slayers laughed.

"Shut up!" Dilandau screeched as he sprung up red-faced and P.Oed. "I'll show you to make a fool out of me!" He came at me. I charged at him claws, and teeth bared. He waited until I reached as far as the chains would let me go, and he yelled to his Dragon Slayers. "Attack!" and that they did. Dilandau knocked me to the ground and it was like a wrestling match when the good guy is down outside the ring while his opponent distracts the ref, whilst the opponent's buddies would kick and stomp on the fallen warrior. I lay on the ground growling and screeching in pain building up strength and waiting for one of them to drop their guard and Dilandau to turn his back, while they pounded on my back with their sharp heels, and kicked me in the ribs with their sharp-toed boots. I was bleeding from multiple places where they sliced me open with their boots, but I still lay there breathing heavily.

"Well I guess we showed him huh? Let's go." Dilandau said turning around, walking towards the exit. The Dragon Slayers followed except for one. "Stupid cat demon!" He muttered as started to walk away. I completely lost it and went totally primeval.

"RRROOOAAAR!" I roared a feral roar, sprung onto my feet, and sunk my curved tiger canines into the lower area of a Dragon Slayers' neck his blood gushing out into my mouth and everywhere.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The Dragon Slayer let out a blood-curdling scream the other Dragon Slayers and Dilandau spun around.

"Holy Shit!" One of them said as I released their ally snarling showing my bloody muzzle and jaws.

"My God!" Jajuka said quietly hidden in shadows. They cautiously crept up, picked up their fallen ally, and carried him out, me at the end of my leash roaring and snarling as loud as possible trying to slash and/or bite anyone who gets close enough. Dilandau looked up and I did the same and saw a small, scrawny creature with red eyes that looked down.

"Add one more chain, put it around his neck, muzzle 'em, and hoist him up!" Dilandau barked. The creature nodded and seconds later a chain and shackle fell and the little gremlin crawled down and fastened the shackle around my neck underneath my hair, shoved a tight muzzle over mine so couldn't roar or maybe even talk, and turned tailed and ran, my claws right behind him. I felt myself being lifted up I was raised up 1ft above the ground my arms and legs spread apart. The shackles sinking deeper into my wrists, ankles and now into my neck.

"There, now you shouldn't cause any more trouble." Dilandau said as he left. The echo of my roaring subsided and I spit out the Dragon Slayers blood and just hung there. I went to sleep with one eye open, focusing my energy on making my wounds scab over.

"Sage." Jajuka said walking out of his hiding spot.

"Oh great, more trouble." I mumbled could barely talk considering the shackle and muzzle.

"I don't bring trouble, I bring food." He said holding out a plate of well-cooked meat.

"Isn't that yours?" I said mouth watering.

"Yes, but they weren't going to feed you, but I guess they know now not to jack around with you." He said chuckling softly.

I chuckled roughly, "I guess so, but how am I going to eat like this?" I wheezed wiggling around rattling the chains.

"I'll fix that but when your finished you'll be put back in the same position your in now. Ok?"

"Fine with me. But why are you doing this?"

"Because what they have done to you is unjust and barbaric. Now you have to promise not to attack me." He set the plate down on the floor.

"You have my word." I said he lowered me down and when my feet hit the ground; I sat down and rubbed the areas where the shackles had dug in. I reached behind my head, unlocked, and took off the muzzle, stretching my jaw. He went and poured a glass of wine, came back, drew one of his two swords and dropped it onto the ground beside him, and sat down in front of me handing me the plate and glass. I accepted them generously bowing my head growling gently as a sign of respect, but not taking my eyes off him. He did the same his growl more wolf-like but still cool. I ate quickly enjoying the meal, as it might be my last. Afterwards, we talked about the "pure" human psyche, especially Dilandau's (PSYCHO!), since we were more animal than human, but mixture of both, laughing at each other's insights. When I was finished I handed him the plate and glass and thanked him.

"No problem. Now to erase my presence here."

"Right." I said putting on and locking my incredibly uncomfortable muzzle and cued him to hoist me back up. And I was left alone once again, but at least now I have a full stomach. I fell asleep how I don't know given my present situation, but sleep just came over me.

"Sage." A soft girls voice in my dream.

"WAKE UP!" WHAP! A sharp blow to the face shattered my dream.

"RRRROOOOAARRR!" I was furious.

"Folken. ggrrrrrrrr." I spat out some blood from the corner of my mouth.

"Who did this to you?" Folken asked.

"Who do you think?" I spat back.

"Dilandau, I'll deal with him later. Now you!" He said pointing at one of the guards who corrected his stance immediately.

"Yes sir."

"Remove his muzzle." I glared deep into his eyes and bared my teeth.

"Yes sir. Oh man this was _not_ in job description." He said his voice shaking he hesitantly came up and started to unlock the muzzle, very carefully, with me growling in his ear. As soon as the muzzle was unlocked I roared the guard screamed in terror and ran.

"Coward." I growled shaking my head the muzzle flying off. Folken chuckled and whipped out a dark stone. The Rhinestone of Death I could sense it's dark energy, and held it in front of him. He stared at it and seemed to be concentrating. It began to glow and I started to felt pain in my back. I roared out in pain as the stone forcefully called out my wings. They exploded out of my back with a snap, leaving me crying in pain. Yes it hurt that bad. The pain faded away to a numbing sensation.

"Let me go this isn't worth it!" I roared.

"I can't do that, not until you cough up your part of the Stone, which holds immense power. Until I get what I want, you will not be released."

"I don't know how to get it out, and even if I did, I'm not going to let you have it!" I roared.

"Stubborn fool."

"Me? Stubborn? Right."

"That stone will be mine!" He held up the black stone and held it close to my face. The closer it got, the more pain I felt.

"This can pull that stone right out of you."

"Bring it." The stone began to glow and I felt my insides being ripped apart. Like someone stuck my guts in a blender and hit puree. The pain grew intense my stone moving to the surface. I gritted my teeth felt something weird going on in my body I looked at my hand saw the fur starting to disappear.

"Stop! If you do this I return to what I was before!" The stone stopped glowing.

"I will not stop until I get what I want!" He yelled blasting my with a telekinetic blast sending me into unconsciousness. I heard Folken storm off and say to the guard that I had scared.

"Put it muzzle back on and leave him." I felt rough hands shove my face into the muzzle and tighten it underneath my hair. I was left alone not even bothering to retract my wings they'll just be ripped out again. I woke up several hours later I groggily looked around and saw no one around I heaved sigh of relief.

"God I hope Van and Hitomi get here soon." Man I'm hungry. I tried to get more comfortable in my dangling contained position with little success, big surprise. I retreated into the depths of my mind to contemplate some kind of escape plan. Good luck. Folken came in a few minutes later.

"Well speak of the devil." I spat at him Shwac! I turned back my head blood trickling down my chin growling. And so it begins. I thought as he whipped out the Rhinestone of Death and as it started to glow I felt my stone start to move inside of me, towards the surface pushing against my ribs and my chest. My wings were being forcibly pulled through my back to come out with my stone. (AN: I believe the word your looking for is Aah:p)I looked at myself and saw my Tyger form was being torn out as well. Not good. The pain was unimaginable, so unbearable that it left me near tears. I stood fast. After what seemed like hours the dark stone stopped glowing Folken put it away, turned and left. My wrists, ankles, and neck were bleeding freely from my weight against the shackles from when his stone was pulling mine toward it. Panting I focused my eyes to see Jajuka enter who let me down, fed me, gave me strength to keep fighting, and to tell me he has been reassigned and will move out tonight.

"No! You can't!"

"Do not worry." He interrupted me calmly saying

"You will be fed, though it may too few and far between, but I give you my word you will not die." He hit his hand on his chest armor. I bowed my head, my energy restored I retracted my wings and summoned my sub-armor and my favorite armor, the Wildfire, and he hung me back up again leaving the muzzle off he walked over and grabbed my clothes.

"Hey where are you going with those?"

"I shall give them to your new caretakers."

"Oh." Folken's gonna to have nasty surprise tomorrow I thought and chuckled to myself as I fell asleep. Not knowing how far Folken would go. I woke to find a not so pleased Folken glaring at me.

"Ha-ah! Now what?" Uh-oh now I asked for it, I thought to myself. He took off my helmet, threw it down, took off the katanas from my back, and threw them down as well and calmly waved his hand.

"Well very impressive armor but that won't protect you forever." A group of 8 sorcerers approached carrying what looked like to be ingredients of spells and primitive welding equipment.

"Now first cast a spell on the entire ship so that he can't summon that armor again once it off, and second cut it off!"

"Yes my lord." The head sorcerer said bowing Folken stepped back. The sorcerers went straight to work first doing their voodoo then powering up their torches slicing through my armor pulling it off in chunks of melted scrap metal. They had a little trouble with the tail because I couldn't keep it still. I chuckled all of a sudden I felt cold steel at my throat.

"Stop moving that tail or I kill you and remove your stone from your corpse." Folken said very sincerely obviously not in very good mood. I swallowed hard and stopped my tail has best has I could. Folken removed his sword he obviously wanted me to suffer, drat. When they were finished I gave them all a nasty surprise.

"Armor of Halo! Dao Chi!" The Halo armor activated shielding me once more. Folken went livid and blasted me with a telekinetic attack. Strength and confidence restored I blocked it. He told the sorcerers.

"Repeat as many times as necessary until you've stripped him of all of his armor. Do not summon me until it is done." He stormed off.

"Yes lord." They did their spell and melted off my Halo armor. Then I just activated the next one getting them madder and madder. I thought it was funny. But when they had finished sealing and melting off all 9 of my armors they went to work on my sub-armor taking pleasure in hearing me scream as they strip off my last defense leaving me with 2 to 3 degree bleeding burns over most of my body and barely any of my fur was spared, my only defense against the cold of the night. They then lowered my upper body and head down and cut off most of jet-black hair making me look truly awful. They raised me back up to the way I was before, gathered up their equipment, and left not without taking the only source of light the two torches on the opposite side of room leaving me in total darkness. Worn out and tired from pain I slept. A searing pain to the back shot me awake blinded by the sudden I blinked and surveyed my surroundings, hmm… sand, a cheering crowd, hmm I wonder…a gladiator area! What? In this a ship this size I'm not surprised. I was facing Folken who was seated a throne whilst 2 gorgeous cat-girls danced around him _that _caught my attention for a couple of minutes. I shook my head and looked around.

"Okay Folken is front of me, now where is Dilandau?"

"Right here!" Whack! He screamed as he brought a whip down across my back. I roared in pain and saw the two cat-girls whip around to look at me.

"Oh did that hurt?" Dilandau said toying with me.

"No that sucked!" I taunted and roared as I was whipped in public for hours, everyday, feeling blood dripping from my back. Then it got even better! Yea right, I was get beaten up by the Dragon Slayers which unfortunately was the entire audience! After that then Folken did his stone extraction shit. After a couple days of thatI just said.

"Enough of this bull shit! HhhhhhhyyyyYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" pooling all of the energy I had my stone glowing brighter than I've ever seen or gotten it, releasing a domelike telekinetic blast sending everybody around me flying. Folken looked pretty impressed, panting I saw and heard all the soldiers get back up and charge again. I roared extending my wings.

" Unlock!" The shackles flung open releasing me. Freedom! Blessed freedom! I flew up and away; I then turned my sights on the army of Dragon Slayers. I dived down into them and roared.

" Vigarthagaia!" And slammed onto the ground landing on all fours.

"Ha that didn't do anything. Git 'em!" Dilandau said. I felt my hand sent out a pulse.

"Or did it?" The ground started to shake violently as a high-factor earthquake knocking everyone to the ground. I took to the sky and roared.

" Wind which blows across eternity, gather in my hand and become my strength! Bram gush!" I drew back and aimed at the largest group of Dragon Slayers and fired an arrow of wind at them. When it hit them, it burst, shredding them all to pieces and punching holes into the ground, a rather gruesome scene. All of the others took off including Dilandau.

"Come back and fight cowards!" I roared.

"You have bigger problems." A voice came from behind me. Folken!

"Uh-oh." I whipped around and roared.

" Bomb di wind!" Cupping my hands I felt the air pressure greatly increase and release. The resulting wind blew Folken away. I didn't give him a chance to react.

" Wind, crimson flame. Grant the power of thunder to my hand! Digu Volt!" A lightning blast shot out of the palm of my hand and flew towards him. He recovered quickly and dodged it. The lightning flew by him and blew a softball size hole in the wall behind him. He turned around and looked at the hole and he said.

"Damn that would of hurt." Panting I charged him claws extended roaring.

"And so will this!" I slashed he side stepped me drawing his sword and brought it down upon my wings.

"Ahhh!" I screamed in pain and as I fell, my severed wings, and tail falling around me.

"Oh this going to hurt!" Boom! I landed flat on my back, the back of my head connecting with the ground giving me one hell of a headache.

"I was right. Uhh." I fought unconsciousness and climbed slowly to my feet roaring as Folken landed, retracting his black wings, and approached me

"How dare you cut off my wings I'll make you pay for that!" I ran over, grabbed a sword, and charged. We fought ferociously and intensely each of us using our telekinesis and that's it. (Switching to 3rd P.O.V.) There was so much dust in the air that any onlookers could barely see. When the dust cleared Folken and Sage were locked in a sinister embrace they fought hard but were a damn near even match.

"Its that all you've got?" Sage taunted pressing harder upon his sword not showing any signs of fatigue though due to the lack of food and wounds, his endurance had decreased a lot.

"I will have that stone! Dilandau! Attack!" Folken responded.

"Oh shit!" Sage broke the hold and sprinted to get another sword diving to dodge a telekinetic attack from Folken, which blew the sword away from him, sliding across the ground, he dived after it only to nearly roll out of the way to avoid Dilandau's sword. He grabbed the other sword and charged them both. Well Sage has got big balls to say the least. He fought them both with a Zen-like calmness, his cat-like flexibility, and maneuverability shining through. Blocking and attacking on two different fronts is not easy. However, it was not to last after about 30 min Folken took out the Rhinestone of Death and said.

"Enough." Sage who was busy at the moment disarmed Dilandau and had his sword at his throat spun around.

"What?" Was the only thing he could say. Before he could say more Folken slammed his stone onto Sage's chest right where the symbol was. All you could here then was the ear piercing scream of Sage who dropped his swords and fell to his knees, the remnants of his wings and tail being sucked back into his body as he reverted back to his human form when Folken ripped the stone from Sage's chest taking his portion of the Rhinestone of Life with it, ripping a huge hole in his chest snapping his sternum and tearing through Sage's chest muscles. You could see his internal organs. Blood flew everywhere, as Sage fell to the ground face first barely alive his chest burst open his chest muscles dangling and bleeding heavily. Folken was left holding the two stones separated only by Sage's broken sternum and a jagged piece of flesh. He pulled the two stones apart letting the jagged skin and sternum fall to the ground beside Sage's near lifeless body. As Sage closed his eyes for the last time, the last thing he saw was the raindrop symbol glowing brightly, a single tear fell. Folken and Dilandau stared at Sage's now lifeless body and Folken said to Dilandau.

"Take him back to his cell and chain him up. I'll deal with him later." Dilandau nodded called for a stretcher threw Sage's lifeless body upon it and left with the coliseum.

"Now I finally have the power I need to take over the world!" Folken cackled and laughed evilly touching the two stones melding them together to a chaotic blood-looking color.

Meanwhile in Torushina….

Hitomi sat up quickly gasping, covered in a cold sweat, as one would waking up from a bad dream.

"Oh my god Sage!" She sprung up and ran out of the bedroom, and Van was nearly dressed he turned to her.

"So you felt that too, huh?"

"Yea, Sage is definitely in need of our help, if we leave now, it will take several months to get there if they stay on their present course." Getting out a bunch of maps. Seeing Hitomi's worried face he put his hand on her arm and looked her in eyes saying with pride and the utmost confidence.

"Sage _will_ be there waiting for us, the legend will be fulfilled."

"But what if Sage is dead?" Tears filled in Hitomi's eyes.

"Then let us make haste." He said Hitomi nodded.


	12. The Birth of Nightstryker

Part 12: The Birth of Nightstryker

Back in Sage's cell, there was a faint glowing emanating from Sage's chest as his sternum began to heal, growing back very slowly. The huge loss shattered Sage's self-esteem, he was growing skinner everyday, from lack of food and the energy required for healing, but he will to live was strong even as he slept through the violent beatings by Dilandau who not only used his fists, but his sword and his powers. The Rhinestone of Life had been inside of him for so long that when Folken remove it, it infused him with healing energy that will kept him alive slowly healing all of his wounds but very slowly. And when he woke 5 days later the pain he felt was so unbearable he screamed in pain and sorrow. The 2 cat-girls approaching from the other side of the dungeon deck amidst the moaning and groaning of the other prisoners they heard the blood-curdling scream that was only matched at the coliseum. It made their hair stand on end but they firmly held their course. They reached Sage's cell that was at bowels of the ship it was also freezing cold, they shivered and saw it was unguarded as well as unlocked. He was presumed dead, like it mattered now right?

"Well here we go." One of them said as she pushed open the door the combined smell of sweat, blood, and Sage's Tyger form was nearly unbearable. They dismissed the stench and soon found themselves near Sage's body they proceeded to unlock his shackles.

"Well, well, well. It seems Sage has some fans." Dilandau said blocking the entrance his sword drawn. The two girls whimpered in fear as he cornered them in farthest corner.

"All traitors will die!" He said as he raised his sword. Sage was awake and could not, would not stand for this. He slowly climbed to his feet enraged by Dilandau cruelty he roared.

"No!" A white ki-flame surrounded his body and illuminated the horror that had been done to him. His chest was mostly healed, though the muscles were still exposed, skinny as a Jew in concentration camp, burned, cut, nearly bald, and bruised beyond recognition. Covered in dried blood, dirt, sand, and grime so much of it, in fact, you couldn't tell what color his skin was. The girls gasped in horror. His eyes were locked on Dilandau, a new fire burning in them, his fists clenched, muscles taunt, the veins in his temples sticking out.

"And what are you going to do about it?" he asked approaching him smirking "Your not really in a position to stop me."

Sage smirked and said.

"This." He threw and roared with all his might embracing this new energy that coursed trough his veins.

"HHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His pupils vanished as the white ki-flame turned yellow and the remaining hair on his head flew up, spiking. Dilandau laughed.

"You like a idiot! Ha-ha!" while Dilandau continued laughing, Sage's hair re-grew till it was about shoulder length and spiked up to join the rest, and all of the muscles on his body expanded doubling in size making him look more fearsome. Dilandau stopped laughing.

Sage growled deeply and blasted towards Dilandau, making a slanted crater where he was standing, when he reached the end of the chains, he didn't stop tearing the chains from the wall, and nailed Dilandau with his right fist driving him through his cell door and into the floor sliding for several feet, face bloody and unconscious. Sage breathed deeply, his ki-flame turning back to white, pupils returning, and walked back to two girls cowering in the corner. They looked up and saw Sage standing in front of them arms crossed.

"Well are you going to get up or what?" He said holding out his hands.

"Yea thanks, god your hands are like ice!" The blonde one said grabbing his hand.

"We owe you one. Jeez your hands are freezing you must be frozen to death. " The other one grabbing his hand as well.

"Now that you mention it is a little nippy in here. Let us vacate before sleeping beauty over there wakes up." He pulled them both up and got a good look at whom he had saved, he gasped.

"You're the dancers from the coliseum!" They nodded and gave a little twirl letting Sage check them out.

"My name is Naria and this is my best friend Eriya." Naria said pointing to her companion.

Damn, they're even more beautiful up close. He thought out loud. He blushed causing them both to blush.

"And you are Sage, I presume?" Naria asked. He nodded and swayed a little bit, putting his hand on the wall, panting, and the transformation had taking its toll, draining his nonexistent energy.

"Yeah. Good night."

"Huh?" And without any warning his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell, his white ki-flame disappearing, to the ground with a thud, restoring the room to darkness, he was out cold. Naria went and got a stretcher; they loaded Sage's body, covered it, and told the main dungeon guard that Sage was dead and they were taking him to the morgue. He didn't know where that was, nor did he check to see if Sage was really dead, lucky them so they headed to their room. The door to their quarters slid open and they quickly rushed inside carefully set the stretcher down, Naria took the cover off of him and gasped in horror because the amount of energy that Sage used had left him in a near death state (once again). Eriya spun the couch around so if anyone followed them when their door opened they wouldn't see Sage, because that would be bad. (No Duh.) Naria and Eriya then carefully picked Sage up and took him in to the bathroom, which was part hot spring, part shower, which was rather odd. They gingerly dipped Sage's bloody body into the lukewarm water letting him submerge on his exhale and pulling his head back up quickly, Naria set a folded towel behind Sage's neck and laid his head back on it. They just let him soak for about 30 min. When they came back to check on him, the water was funked out.

"Man that is nasty. Drain it." Eriya said pulling Sage out of the water. Naria walked over and hit a panel on the wall, and the water started to drain.

"Draining." After they refilled it, they put him back in now crystal clear water, and jumped in as well. They stripped Sage of his dirty clothes and carefully scrubbed him clean. When they were finished they pulled him back out, dried him off, and dipping bandages in ointment; they wrapped him tightly, from head to toe, in several layers of bandages, except for his nose. They put a loincloth on him to cover his manhood. They laid him on the couch and covered him with as many blankets as they could allow. They looked at him with awe.

"Will he be alright?" Naria asked Eriya.

"I'm not sure we've done everything we can. It's up to him now." Eriya responded. "I'll get our clan's shaman to look at him later." With that they left him, went to the bedroom, closed the door behind them, and went to bed. (Switching back to 1st person now that I'm _not _dead.) When I woke up I still couldn't see but the throbbing pain I felt was normal to me now. I was warm for once that's what really freaked me out. I sat up, the blankets fell off of my upper body, and I inhaled deeply the exotic smell told me that I was defiantly not in the dungeon anymore. I felt extremely weak so I laid back down pulling the blankets back up and over my upper body up to my neck. I heard the door open with hiss, voices, the thud of shoes hitting the floor, and soft footsteps coming my direction. Uh-oh. I didn't know who it was so I started to panic. But then I heard.

"Good thing I got that lock." Eriya said I relaxed.

"Why?" A different feminine voice I tensed up again and began to sweat.

"We have a guest. Do you want to see him?" Naria said and I sighed roughly. Damn it Naria.

"Sure." The new voice chirped. Oh great. I heard the door close and them approach chattering like happy birds.

"Let me open the blinds so you see him." Naria said I winced, as it got really bright.

"There that's better." Not for me. I heard a couple of gasps come from the 3rd lady.

"What happened?" She asked. 'Please don't tell her. Please don't tell her. Please don't tell her.' I prayed.

"We don't know we found him like this in the deepest, darkest part of the dungeon." Eriya said firmly. I heard footsteps come closer to me.

"I wonder if he's packing heat if you know what I mean." The 3rd lady asked.

"Huh?" I raised my eyebrows and felt the blankets start to lift off of me.

"Leave him alone." Naria said finally I heaved a sigh of relief.

"You seen it, is it big, small, oblong, what?" The 3rd female pleaded. I've had enough of this.

"Enough!" I growled. "You will not see anything of mine."

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can not see?" the 3rd female sarcastically snapped back. I reached up grabbed the bandages that covered my eyes and ripped them off revealing just my eyes. The 3rd female looked like a total slut, I mean Naria and Eriya looked good but I saw in their eyes they still held their heads up high with the honor of whatever clan they originated from and kept their dignity, but I saw in the 3rd female's eyes, she disposed of her honor and self-respect a long time ago. She was attractive and all, nearly falling out of her outfit but she looks like the type of girl that everybody got a piece of, and passed it on, if you know what I mean.

"I am Nightstryker." I was disgusted and aroused in the same instant, but I was still polite.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure, and you are?"

"Humph. Out of your league." She spun around I checked out of course, I'm a guy what do you expect, it would be rude mot to, anyway I watched her hips bob back and forth and she headed to the door almost hypnotized. She put on her shoes, turned around and said coldly.

"I'll see you later." And with that she left. I looked to see Naria looked a stunned

"What was that all about?" I sat up.


End file.
